Meta overlooks ads from illegal gambling sites, says UK watchdog
The UK Gambling Commission accuses Meta of failing to remove ads from unlicensed and illegal gambling sites on Facebook and Instagram.Summary
The UK Gambling Commission has criticized Meta Platforms Inc. for allowing advertisements from illegal gambling sites to appear on Facebook and Instagram. According to a speech by executive director Tim Miller, the regulator found numerous operators targeting UK users without the required licenses through Meta’s ad library. Miller stated that Meta “simply choose[s] not to look,” despite having the capability to identify these illegal ads. Meta suggested the Gambling Commission use its own AI tools to report the ads, promising removal upon notification. Miller expressed surprise that Meta, a large tech company, isn’t proactively preventing these ads, implying a willingness to profit from illegal activity. The issue extends beyond the UK, with illegal gambling ads also prevalent in countries like India, Malaysia, and Saudi Arabia.
(Source：The Mercury News)