EU Regulators probe Google & Meta secret ad deal targeting teens
"Brussels seeks more information on secret Google-Meta ads deal targeting teens, FT reports", 10 December 2024
Dec 10 (Reuters) - European regulators have asked Google for more information about its now-scrapped secret advertising partnership with Instagram-parent Meta Platforms that ignored the search company's rules on how minors should be treated online, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.
An FT investigation, opens new tab revealed in August how Google helped Meta in a secret marketing project targeting 13- to 17-year-olds who use YouTube, owned by Google-parent Alphabet (GOOGL.O), opens new tab, to promote Meta's (META.O), opens new tab Instagram.
The partnership, which expanded to the U.S. and was to go global, has since been scrapped, FT said.
Nonetheless, European Commission officials have been looking into the partnership and have sent collated information to regulators who are weighing on whether to act, the latest FT report said, citing people familiar with the matter.
In October, the officials ordered Alphabet's lawyers to gather and review data, presentations, internal chats and emails related to the ad campaigns, the report said.
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"The safeguards we have to protect teens, like prohibiting ad personalization, are industry leading and continue to work," a Google spokesperson said in an email.
The company has held updated internal training to ensure its sales teams remain aware of policies and technical protections, the spokesperson said.
Meta, which also owns Facebook, and the European Commission did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
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