Meta Ran Ads With AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Imagery

Meta ran dozens of paid ads containing AI-generated child sexual abuse material and images of minors with sexually suggestive text over the past nine months, according to findings shared with WIRED by the Tech Transparency Project. The ads appeared on Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Threads, targeting users in the United States, United Kingdom, and more than a dozen European countries.

Researchers at the Tech Transparency Project, an independent watchdog group, uncovered more than 50 image and video ads in Meta's ad library. Some of these ads directed viewers to nudify or undressing apps. The ads were published between November 2025 and early August 2026, often running for several days and, in some cases, exclusively targeting men.

The discovery highlights significant gaps in Meta's ad review process, as the company collects revenue from ads that violate its own policies against child sexual exploitation and adult sexual solicitation. Katie Paul, director of the Tech Transparency Project, stated that the ads made no effort to conceal their content and were approved by Meta without interference.

One video ad used a thumbnail of a child with text reading, "Realizing Deep Fantasies with Generation AI. There is so much more than what is shown, use your imagination." When clicked, it played adult sexual acts and then superimposed the child's face onto a sex act. Another ad repeatedly posted showed a young girl in a sexual position with the caption, "I can show you more."

While most ads reached few accounts, at least one reached 2,563 accounts across eight European countries, including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Meta's ad library does not provide full performance data for the US, so the actual reach may be higher. The Tech Transparency Project reported the ads to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's CyberTipline.

After WIRED contacted Meta, the company removed the ads. A Meta spokesperson said the majority had minimal reach and many were disabled before being shared with WIRED, adding that new AI technology has been launched to better detect such ads. However, the Tech Transparency Project found around 30 additional ads after WIRED's initial inquiry, some of which were live at the time. Meta stated it removed over 36 million pieces of child sexual exploitation content last year and has taken legal action against nudify app developers.