Google and Meta’s secret ad campaign targeting teens exposed

Google reportedly carried out an investigation and shut down the project after the outlet approached the company. Talking to Quartz, Google described the campaign as “small in nature,” and claimed that it has “thoroughly reviewed the allegations with regard to circumvention of our policies” and is taking “appropriate steps.” The company also said that it plans to refresh its training so that their sales representatives understand the rules better.

As per Google’s rules, advertising to children under 18 is prohibited. The ads were directed at a group that was labelled as “unknown” in Google’s advertising system. This suggests that the group comprised users whose age, gender, or other demographics are not identified. However, Google would be able to gather information that confirms that these “unknown” users were teenagers, using data from app downloads and online activity.

How was the secret campaign orchestrated?

Meta and Google’s secret campaign had been carried out with the help of Spark Foundry, which is an advertising agency based in the United States. This year, the program ran in Canada, and it was tested in the US in May. The program would have eventually been rolled out globally and used to promote services like Facebook.

After the program was cancelled, Google told the Financial Times in a statement, “We prohibit ads being personalised to people under 18, period.”

Notably, the US Senate recently passed legislation meant to hold tech giants accountable for causing harm to minors. One bill, the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act, or COPA 2.0, prohibits targeted advertising to minors and bans the collection of data without their consent. Another bill, the Kids Online Safety Act, demands that tech companies design online platforms in ways that prevent harming users, including cyberbullying, sexual exploitation, and drug use.