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Dating app Bumble and Tinder owner Match Group have stopped showing their ads on Instagram claiming their promotional content was appearing next to inappropriate content involving children and explicit material.
The Match group, which owns Tinder, apparently stopped airing its ads at least a month before The Wall Street Journal found that Instagram was, as it alleged, showing explicit content alongside ads for big companies like Match, Bumble, Disney, and Walmart.
Such content, according to WSJ, included inappropriate videos of kids and very sexual adult content.
The Amazon-owned broadsheet on Monday published its findings which were based on an experiment it conducted by creating test accounts that followed young gymnasts, cheerleaders, and influencers.
While browsing Reels, an app feature, they found Instagram to be displaying such content as suggestive videos of kids and sexual adult videos, alongside ads for companies like Match, Bumble, Disney, and Walmart.
A spokesperson from Match Group said the company hasn't been promoting its apps on Meta's platforms since October. The person said the firm doesn't want to spend money promoting their brands where there's inappropriate content that could attract predators.
Bumble, another dating app company, said it never meant to show ads near inappropriate content and has paused its ads on Meta's platforms as well.
Meta responded to the publication's investigation by stating that the experience depicted in the report doesn't accurately represent what billions of users typically see on their platforms.
They emphasized that their systems work well in decreasing harmful content and have invested a significant amount of money in safety, security, and ensuring that brands can advertise in suitable environments.
Samantha Stetson, Meta vice president responsible for advertising relations, highlighted the company's substantial investment in minimizing the relatively small amount of inappropriate content on Instagram.
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