The Wall Street Journal as shown concerns over Instagram Reels as the app’s algorithm allegedly exposes public to ‘overtly sexual adult videos.’
The report highlights that not only is the platform showcasing risqué footage featuring kids, but major brands are also facing scrutiny for having their ads placed next to these questionable Reels.
Wall Street Journal gave an instance of an ad promoting the dating app Bumble which was adjoined with a video of a person caressing a “life-size latex doll” and another clip of an underage girl exposing her waist.
In another case, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta-owned app showed a Pizza Hut commercial next to a video of a man laying in bed with a purported 10-year-old girl, while a Walmart ad was displayed next to a video of a woman exposing her crotch.
“We don’t want this kind of content on our platforms and brands don’t want their ads to appear next to it,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement.
After the Journal’s report , Meta is now confronting its own advertiser revolt, with several companies mentioned in the study suspending advertisements across all Meta platforms, including Facebook.
The algorithm was allegedly display a mix of adult pornography and child-sexualizing material, such as a video of a clothed girl caressing her torso and another of a child pantomiming a sex act.”
The Herald understands that Instagram’s parent company, Meta, is now under pressure to address these issues and ensure a safer digital environment for its young user base.