Senators Critique Meta Over Ad Removal
Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) criticized Mark Zuckerberg of Meta Inc. on Friday for the company’s unsettling decision to eliminate an advertisement from a law firm that offers help to victims of social media addiction.
This action by Meta, which started removing ads from Facebook and Instagram in April, follows multiple lawsuits in Los Angeles and New Mexico. These lawsuits accused the company of not adequately protecting children. One of the ads claimed that Meta was aware its platform contributed to anxiety and depression yet continued to market to young users.
The senators expressed in a letter to Zuckerberg that this advertising ban seems like an effort to preserve a damaging business model that profits from youth addiction. They obtained and shared the letter exclusively with The Post.
“Meta’s actions clearly contradict their stated policy changes to promote more speech and reduce content removal, except in extreme cases,” they pointed out.
Meta and various social media platforms are facing increased scrutiny over their responsibilities to safeguard minors online. The company is among several defendants in over 2,400 lawsuits in California from school districts, state attorneys general, and private individuals.
In their correspondence, Blackburn and Klobuchar referenced Meta’s internal documents, noting that the company estimated around 10% of its revenue, about $16 billion, in 2024 stemmed from fraudulent ads on its platforms.
“These billions in fraudulent advertising suggest that the removal of these ads serves only to shield profits,” the senators argued.
The removal of the law firm ads was first highlighted by Axios, with over a dozen ads taken down, including those from prominent firms like Morgan & Morgan and Sokolove Law.
Meta spokesperson Andy Stone responded, stating the company would not permit trial lawyers to profit from its platform while arguing that it causes harm.
“We are actively defending these lawsuits and working to eliminate ads that seek to recruit litigants,” Stone added. He mentioned that Meta has made considerable strides in recent years to enhance app safety, including the introduction of “Teen Accounts” on Instagram.
Recently, a New Mexico jury imposed a $375 million penalty on Mr. Mehta for failing to protect children from sexual predators. Following that, Meta warned it may withdraw from the state if unrealistic security measures are mandated for its app.
Additionally, a jury in Los Angeles held Meta and Google liable for $6 million in damages to a woman named KGM, who alleged the app resulted in anxiety and depression.
Both senators are advocates for the Kids Online Safety Act, a long-awaited proposal that would establish a legal “duty of care” for social media companies, among other measures to safeguard users.
“Though we are pleased to see courts beginning to hold Meta accountable, real systemic change that parents demand and children need must come from Congress. We will not rest until decisive actions are taken to protect children from ongoing harm on the internet, including on Meta’s platforms,” they concluded.
