Google and Meta, two tech giants in the digital advertising space, recently made headlines for striking a secret deal that involved running ads promoting Instagram to teenagers. This collaboration, revealed in a report by the Financial Times, raised concerns as Google’s own policy prohibits personalizing and targeting ads to individuals under the age of 18.
The ad campaign was facilitated by Spark Foundry, a US arm of the French ad giant Publicis, on behalf of Meta. The goal was to attract more teenagers to Instagram, which has been facing stiff competition from TikTok in North America. Documents obtained by the Financial Times shed light on the details of this marketing project, which specifically targeted 13- to 17-year-old YouTube users with ads promoting Instagram.
What is particularly alarming is that Google and Meta deliberately targeted a user group labeled as „unknown“ within Google’s advertising system, a group that Google knew consisted predominantly of individuals under the age of 18. This strategic move allowed the companies to bypass Google’s own ad policy, which aims to protect minors from targeted advertising.
Google’s Ad-serving Protections for Teens policy clearly states that on Google Accounts of individuals above the digital age of consent but under 18, ads personalization is disabled. By collaborating on a campaign that directly contradicted this policy, Google and Meta disregarded the safeguards put in place to protect young users from targeted advertising.
The ad campaign initially launched in Canada between February and April of this year, and due to its perceived success, it was later trialed in the US in May. The companies had plans to expand the campaign to international markets and promote other Meta apps, such as Facebook. This expansion raised concerns about the potential impact on teenagers worldwide and the ethical implications of targeting a vulnerable demographic.
In response to the report, Google stated that it had initiated an investigation into the matter and would be taking additional action to ensure compliance with its policies. The company emphasized the importance of upholding ethical standards in digital advertising and preventing advertisers from circumventing established rules.
On the other hand, Meta defended its actions, arguing that selecting the „unknown“ audience did not constitute personalization or a violation of any rules. The company maintained that it followed both its own policies and Google’s guidelines throughout the campaign.
Overall, the revelation of this secret deal between Google and Meta highlights the challenges and ethical considerations surrounding targeted advertising, especially when it involves minors. As technology continues to evolve, it is crucial for companies to prioritize user privacy and adhere to strict guidelines to protect vulnerable demographics from exploitation.