Facebook to refund advertisers over child porn ad support
Social media giant Facebook is planning to refund advertisers whose ads ran on apps that linked to WhatsApp groups dedicated to sharing child exploitation imagery, TechCrunch reported on Thursday.
It was discovered that the apps linking to the inappropriate chats were supported by ads run by both Facebook and Google’s ad networks – which earned them money. Facebook said it will also pull its ad network from all WhatsApp chat invite apps.
Facebook owns WhatsApp.
Google told TechCrunch that it is looking to ban the content, which would also suspend access to its ad networks – but failed to disclose whether it too would refund advertisers.
Following a report from TechCrunch, search giant Google has begun to remove third-party apps from its play store that led users to chat groups on WhatsApp for sharing child pornography images.
WhatsApp told TechCrunch that it only has 300 employees policing its platform.
Israeli non-governmental organizations began contacting Facebook in September regarding the child abuse content.