PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla., Sept. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new investigation by the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) has uncovered more than 300 paid advertisements containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) that ran on Facebook and Instagram this year, raising serious questions about Meta’s advertising review systems, platform accountability and the growing threat posed by artificial intelligence.
According to TTP’s investigation, researchers identified 332 advertisements containing CSAM that made it through Meta’s advertising review process. Most involved photographs of children that were digitally manipulated with AI to depict sexual activity, and researchers identified multiple instances in which photographs of real children were used. Nearly 80% of the identified advertisements ran in the United States.
“These findings are deeply disturbing and Meta should be held accountable.” said Madeline Pendley, a trial attorney with Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa (RDCY). “Meta often hides behind Section 230, which is a statute written to protect platforms from liability stemming from hosting third-party content. However,it was never intended to shield a platform from its own decision to approve, distribute, and profit from child sexual abuse material. Meta has known about this problem for months and its only response has been to remove ads after outside researchers find them, which is not sufficient.”
The investigation highlights the growing role of artificial intelligence in the creation and distribution of abusive imagery. TTP found that 298 of the 332 advertisements directed users to AI image- or video-generation applications, with 253 directing users to apps developed by China-based companies. Researchers said they verified that 182 advertisements pointed to applications capable of “nudifying” people or placing them into sexual videos.
“Artificial intelligence is changing the scale and speed at which this type of abuse can occur,” said Troy A. Rafferty, a shareholder of RDCY. “The fact that photographs of real children can be taken from publicly available sources and transformed into abusive imagery demonstrates why traditional approaches to online safety are no longer enough. Platforms and technology companies need systems capable of identifying these threats before the material reaches users — not simply mechanisms for cleaning it up after the fact.”
The report raises additional questions about Meta’s response to reports of abusive advertisements. TTP said it reported 129 active CSAM advertisements directly to Meta. In 73 cases, or 57%, Meta responded that the advertisement did not violate its advertising standards. TTP also documented instances in which advertisements continued receiving additional views while the company considered the reports.
For Rafferty, the findings underscore the importance of examining the systems through which harmful content is approved, distributed and monetized.
“When a company operates a sophisticated advertising platform with the ability to review advertisements before they run, there are legitimate questions about what safeguards were in place and whether those safeguards worked,” Rafferty said. “This is especially concerning when the material is not simply a user post, but content that entered a paid advertising system and was distributed through that system.”
The legal questions surrounding the investigation could be significant. TTP notes that while Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act generally provides online platforms with protections relating to user-generated content, those protections do not extend to federal criminal violations, including federal laws addressing the production, advertisement, distribution, receipt and possession of CSAM. TTP also notes that the material identified in its investigation appeared in paid advertisements approved and run through Meta’s advertising system.
Pendley said the emergence of AI-generated and AI-manipulated abuse presents new challenges for regulators, courts and technology companies.
“Technology should not become a shield from accountability,” Pendley said. “As AI becomes more sophisticated, the legal system will have to confront difficult questions about who is responsible when technology is used to facilitate the sexual exploitation of children. Those questions become even more urgent when the content is moving through a company’s paid advertising infrastructure.”
The investigation comes after previous reports raised concerns about CSAM advertisements appearing on Meta platforms. TTP noted that a July 2026 report by the BBC found Instagram had run advertisements promoting CSAM in India. Meta has previously stated that it takes a “zero tolerance” approach to child exploitation.
“This report should prompt a broader conversation about what meaningful child protection looks like in the age of AI,” Rafferty said. “Removing harmful advertisements after an outside organization identifies them is necessary, but it is not sufficient. The goal has to be preventing the exploitation from happening and preventing abusive material from being distributed in the first place.”
Read the full Tech Transparency Project investigation:
Meta Ran Hundreds of Paid Ads with Child Sexual Abuse Imagery — Tech Transparency Project
About Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa
Rafferty Domnick Cunningham & Yaffa is a leading Florida law firm dedicated to advocating for victims of mass torts, medical malpractice and corporate negligence. With a track record of holding powerful institutions accountable, the firm fights for justice on behalf of individuals and families affected by preventable harm.
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