Instagram Reels served ‘risqu footage of children’ next to ads for major companies: report

Published

2 years ago

November 30, 2023

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Instagrams Reels video feed reportedly recommends risqu footage of children as well as overtly sexual adult videos to adult users who follow children with some of the disturbing content placed next to ads from major companies.

In one instance, an ad promoting the dating app Bumble was sandwiched between a video of a person caressing a life-size latex doll and another clip of an underage girl exposing her midriff, according to the Wall Street Journal, which set up test accounts to probe Instagrams algorithm.

In other cases, Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta-owned app showed a Pizza Hut commercial next to a video of a man laying in bed with a purported 10-year-old girl, while a Walmart ad was displayed next to a video of a woman exposing her crotch.

The shocking results were revealed as Meta faces a sweeping legal challenge from dozens of states alleging the company has failed to prevent underage users from joining Instagram or to shield them from harmful content.

It also comes on the heels of dozens of blue-chirp firms pulling their advertising from Elon Musk’s X platform after their promos appeared next to posts touting Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party. The exodus is expected to reportedly cost the site formerly known as Twitter as much as $75 million in revenue this year.

Meta now faces its own advertiser revolt after some companies cited in the study suspended ads on all its platforms, which include Facebook, following Monday’s report by the Journal.

The Journal’s test accounts followed only young gymnasts, cheerleaders and other teen and preteen influencers active on the platform.

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“Thousands of followers of such young peoples accounts often include large numbers of adult men, and that many of the accounts who followed those children also had demonstrated interest in sex content related to both children and adults, the outlet found.

The Reels feed presented to test accounts became even more disturbing after the Journals reporters followed adult users who were already following children-related content.

The algorithm purportedly displayed a mix of adult pornography and child-sexualizing material, such as a video of a clothed girl caressing her torso and another of a child pantomiming a sex act.

When reached for comment, a Meta spokesperson argued the tests were a manufactured experience that does not reflect the experience of most users.

We dont want this kind of content on our platforms and brands dont want their ads to appear next to it, a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. We continue to invest aggressively to stop it – and report every quarter on the prevalence of such content, which remains very low.

Our systems are effective at reducing harmful content and weve invested billions in safety, security and brand suitability solutions, the spokesperson added. We tested Reels for nearly a year before releasing it widely – with a robust set of safety controls and measures.

Meta noted that it has approximately 40,000 employees globally dedicated to ensuring the safety and integrity of its platforms.

The company asserted that the spread of such content is relatively small, with just three to four views of posts that violate its policies per every 10,000 views on Instagram.

However, current and former Meta employees reportedly told the Journal that the tendency of the companys algorithms to present child sex content users was known internally to be a problem even before Reels was released in 2020 to compete with popular video app TikTok.

The Journal’s findings followed a June report by the publication that revealed Instagrams recommendation algorithms fueled what it described as a vast pedophile network that advertised the sale of child-sex material on the platform.

That report prompted Meta to block access to thousands of additional search terms on Instagram and to set up an internal task force to crack down on the illegal content.

Nonetheless, several major companies expressed outrage or disappointment over the companys handling of their ads including Match Group, the parent company of Tinder, which has reportedly pulled all of its ads for its major companies from Meta-owned apps.

Most companies sign deals stipulating that their ads should not appear next to sexually-charged or explicit content.

We have no desire to pay Meta to market our brands to predators or place our ads anywhere near this content, Match spokeswoman Justine Sacco said in a statement.

Bumble spokesman Robbie McKay said the dating app would never intentionally advertise adjacent to inappropriate content and has since suspended advertising on Meta platforms.

A Disney representative said the company had brought the problem to the highest levels at Meta to be addressed, while Hinge said it will push Meta to take more action.

The Canadian Center for Child Protection, a nonprofit dedicated to child safety, purportedly got similar results after conducting its own tests. The Post has reached out to the group for comment.

Time and time again, weve seen recommendation algorithms drive users to discover and then spiral inside of these online child exploitation communities, the centers executive director Lianna McDonald told the Journal.

Entertainment

Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin

Published

2 hours ago

July 17, 2025

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Tomorrowland: 'Devastating' blaze destroys main stage at major festival - two days before it was due to begin

A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.

Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.

Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.

The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.

It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.

Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.

The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.

The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.

Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.

Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.

“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”

Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.

Politics

PM criticised over ‘appalling’ decision to suspend four Labour MPs

Published

2 hours ago

July 17, 2025

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Starmer suspends four Labour MPs for breaches of party discipline

Sir Keir Starmer has suspended four MPs for repeated breaches of party discipline.

Brian Leishman, Chris Hinchliff, Neil Duncan-Jordan and Rachael Maskell have lost the whip, meaning they are no longer part of Labour’s parliamentary party and will sit as independent MPs.

The suspension is indefinite pending a review.

Three other MPs have had their trade envoy roles removed: Rosena Allin Khan, Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Mohammed Yasin.

Politics latest: Suspended MPs defend their voting record

All seven had voted against the government’s welfare reforms earlier this month. However, it is understood this is not the only reason behind the decision, with sources citing “repeated breaches of party discipline”.

More than 100 MPs had initially rebelled against the plan to cut personal independent payments (PIP). Ultimately, 47 voted against the bill’s third reading, after it was watered down significantly in the face of defeat.

Ms Maskell was one of the lead rebels in the welfare revolt, and has more recently called for a wealth tax to fund the U-turn.

The York Central MP has spoken out against the government on a number of other occasions since the election, including on winter fuel and cuts to overseas aid.

Confirming the suspension, Ms Maskell told Sky News that she “doesn’t see herself as a rebel” but “somebody that is prepared to fulfil (her) role here of holding the executive to account and speaking truth to power”.

She stopped short of criticising the decision, saying: “I hold my hand out to the prime minister and hope he takes that and wants to reach back because I think it’s really important that we work together.”

Ms Maskell was first elected in 2015, while the other suspended MPs were newly elected last year.

Mr Hinchliff, the MP for North East Hertfordshire, has proposed a series of amendments to the flagship planning and infrastructure bill criticising the government’s approach.

Mr Duncan-Jordan, the MP for Poole, led a rebellion against the cut to the winter fuel payments while Alloa and Grangemouth MP Mr Leishman has been critical of the government’s position on Gaza.

Suspended Labour MPs clearly hit a nerve with Starmer

Tamara Cohen

Political correspondent

@tamcohen

After a tricky few weeks for the government, in which backbenchers overturned plans to cut back welfare spending, now a heavy hand to get the party into line.

All four suspended MPs appear to be surprised – and upset.

Three more have lost plum roles as trade envoys – all on the left of the party.

All were active in the rebellion against the government’s welfare reforms, and voted against the changes even after a series of U-turns – but were among 47 Labour MPs who did so.

When MPs were told after the welfare vote that Number 10 was “fully committed to engaging with parliamentarians”, this was not what they were expecting.

We’re told the reasons for these particular suspensions go wider – over “persistent breaches of party discipline” – although most are not high profile.

In the scheme of things, Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell rebelled against the Labour whip hundreds of times under New Labour, without being suspended.

But these MPs’ pointed criticism of the Starmer strategy has clearly hit a nerve.

Read Tamara’s analysis in full here

‘Couldn’t support making people poorer’

Mr Duncan-Jordan told Sky News that he understood speaking out against benefit cuts would “come at a cost” but said he “couldn’t support making disabled people poorer”.

Mr Leishman echoed that sentiment, saying: “I firmly believe that it is not my duty as an MP to make people poorer, especially those that have suffered because of austerity and its dire consequences.”

Both said they remain committed to the Labour Party and its values, suggesting they have no plans to join the new party being set up by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and ousted MP Zarah Sultana.

Similarly Mr Hinchliff said in a brief statement: “I remain proud to have been elected as a Labour MP and I hope in time to return to the Labour benches.”

The suspensions will be seen as an attempt to restore discipline ahead of the summer recess following a number of rebellions that has forced the government into U-turns.

As well as watering down the welfare bill, some cuts to the winter fuel payment have been reversed, leaving Chancellor Rachel Reeves with a fiscal blackhole to fill.

However, the move risks creating further divisions with a number of Labour MPs criticising the decision.

Starmer ‘rolling out the carpet to Reform’

Ian Byrne, Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, said he was “appalled” by the suspensions as he and 44 others voted against welfare cuts.

He said this isn’t the first time the Starmer leadership has “punished MPs for standing up for what’s right”, as he and six others were suspended last year for voting against the two-child benefit cap.

“These decisions don’t show strength. They are damaging Labour’s support and risk rolling out the red carpet for Reform,” he added.

Richard Burgon, who was also temporarily suspended in the two-child benefit cap revolt, said he had hoped the leadership would take a different approach to backbenchers.

“Sadly, it isn’t yet doing so. To help stop a Reform government, it really must do so,” he said.

Jon Trickett, Labour MP for Normanton and Hemsworth, said “it’s not a sin to stand up for the poor and disabled”, adding: “Solidarity with the suspended four.”

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