A new report by the nonprofit Tech Transparency Project (TTP) says Meta Platforms’ Facebook and Instagram have run thousands of advertisements for AI “nudify” applications that digitally undress or sexualize people by using face-transposition or similar synthetic techniques. According to the report, the ads violate Meta’s stated advertising policies, which bar sexually suggestive content and promotions for apps that purport to strip or digitally remove clothing from people depicted in images.
The watchdog attributes the ads to one Chinese intermediary and advertising partner, identified as Beijing-based GatherOne, which reportedly links Chinese firms to advertise on Meta platforms. Multiple outlets report that TTP found around 7,600 ads associated with such apps over recent months, with ad delivery traced to the same partner. Meta and GatherOne dispute and contextualize the findings: Meta says it does not allow nudify-style and non-consensual intimate imagery, and that advertisers that breach its standards can face penalties, including account termination. GatherOne says it complies with Meta’s policies and has a zero-tolerance stance on deceptive and non-consensual explicit AI-generated content.
The report also describes actions taken after content was flagged, including removal of an app linked to alleged illegal content from Google Play and Meta blocking links to other nudify apps. Meta is also described as having China revenue tied to intermediary-driven advertising, and prior coverage by other outlets is cited as indicating banned-content ads contributed to some of that revenue.
