Report: Meta Ran Ads for AI 'Nudify' Apps Using Real Photos of Teen Girls

Meta was slow to remove advertisements on Facebook and Instagram that promoted so-called "nudify" apps using real photographs of young girls, according to a report published by Ars Technica.

The report said the ads for the apps, which use artificial intelligence to digitally strip clothing from photos to create fake nude images, featured real images of teenagers pulled from Instagram. One ad reportedly carried the tagline "This is the AI men actually use," according to the report.

Ars Technica said Meta did not act quickly to take down the ads despite the apparent use of minors' photos in promotional material for the apps. The report did not specify how long the ads remained active or how many were identified.

Nudify apps, which rely on AI image-generation technology, have drawn scrutiny from lawmakers, child-safety advocates and technology researchers in recent years over their potential use to create non-consensual sexual imagery of real people, including minors.

Ars Technica's report raises questions about the effectiveness of Meta's advertising review systems in screening out content that exploits real photos of children, though the publication did not detail Meta's official response to the specific ads described.

This article is based on reporting by Ars Technica. Additional details from Meta regarding its ad review process and enforcement actions were not immediately available in the source material.