Google and Meta's Secret Ad Deal Targets Teens with Instagram Ads, Violating Google's Policies

Aug 8, 2024, 04:50 AM

Google and Meta have reportedly engaged in a secret deal to target advertisements to teenagers on YouTube, specifically for Instagram. This agreement allowed Meta to bypass Google's existing policies that prohibit targeting ads to users under the age of 18. The campaign, conducted as a pilot program in the US in May 2024, targeted users aged 13 to 17 by using a group labeled 'unknown' in Google's ad system, which is known to skew towards under-18s. The initiative has raised concerns as it violates Google's own advertising rules. Additionally, it was noted that approximately 4 million users under the age of 13 were using Meta's services in the US, contrary to its regulations.