2 weeks ago
Meta Ads for Lewd Deepfake App Prompt Fresh Scrutiny
A company called Kromix promotes an app that changes photos into videos.
Reports say some people used it to make sexualized fake videos of real women.
Ads for the app appeared on Facebook and Instagram.
The ads were shown mainly to male users.
They ran many times before Meta removed them.
Meta’s rules say ads cannot contain sexual material.
Its rules also prohibit apps that make intimate images without permission.
The incident has increased questions about whether Meta checks its ads and platforms carefully enough.
WIRED reported that Meta platforms carried ads for Kromix, an AI app allegedly used to create sexualized deepfakes.
The ads reportedly targeted male users, ran 32 times, and remained active for five to 46 hours.
Meta removed the advertisements after WIRED contacted the company for comment.
Meta’s policies prohibit sexual imagery in ads and apps that create non-consensual intimate content.
The allegations come amid wider scrutiny of AI nudification apps and Meta’s platform-safety practices.
- Who
- Meta Platforms and Kromix are at the center of the report; WIRED reported the advertisements.
- What
- Ads for Kromix allegedly appeared on Meta services despite policies against sexual advertising and non-consensual intimate-content apps.
- Where
- The ads appeared on Meta’s Facebook and Instagram platforms.
- When
- The hosting page was created on August 3; the ads ran for periods ranging from five to 46 hours and were removed after WIRED asked Meta about them.
- Why
- The advertisements prompted scrutiny because Kromix can be used to create sexualized videos from uploaded photos, including potentially non-consensual deepfakes.
Report’s allegations
Meta’s stated standards
Whether the ads should have appeared
Report’s allegations
WIRED reported that Meta carried advertisements for Kromix even though the app could be used to create sexualized and potentially non-consensual deepfake videos.
Meta’s stated standards
Meta’s advertising rules prohibit sexual imagery, and the company removed the reported ads after WIRED raised questions.
Effectiveness of content review
Report’s allegations
The ads reportedly ran repeatedly and remained active for hours, raising questions about how effectively Meta reviews advertisements before publication.
Meta’s stated standards
Meta requires advertisements on Facebook and Instagram to be reviewed against its policies, and removal of the ads indicates that enforcement occurred after the issue was identified.
Broader platform responsibility
Report’s allegations
The report adds to criticism that technology platforms continue to enable access to tools capable of producing non-consensual intimate imagery.
Meta’s stated standards
The article does not include a detailed direct response from Meta to the specific allegations, but describes the company’s rules as prohibiting the relevant content.
Key facts
- App named in report
- Kromix, an AI image-styling tool that can modify uploaded photos into videos.
- Reported ad activity
- The Kromix ads reportedly ran 32 times.
- Ad duration
- Individual ads remained active between five and 46 hours.
- Target audience
- The advertisements were reportedly targeted exclusively at male users.
- Meta policy
- Meta prohibits ads containing sexual imagery and apps that use AI to create non-consensual intimate content.
- Action taken
- Meta removed the reported ads after WIRED contacted the company.
- Related legal scrutiny
- A bipartisan group of 29 US states is suing Meta over platform design, safety practices and alleged handling of children’s data.
Sources
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