Google, Meta Face Heat For Alleged Teen Ad Targeting: Report

Meta and Google have allegedly collaborated to display Instagram ads targeting teenagers on YouTube, raising concerns over potential violations of Google’s own advertising guidelines. 

According to reports, the tech giants initiated a partnership to showcase Instagram ads to users aged 13 to 17, utilizing a category labelled as 'unknown'. The category is typically reserved for targeting individuals whose age, gender and other demographic details are not specified.

The alleged ad targeting reportedly occurred in Canada earlier this year and was intended to expand to other countries as per the report. 

Both Meta and Google are already under investigation by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for possible anti-competitive practices. Google is facing scrutiny for its dominance in search, Android and Play Store policies, while Meta’s social media market practices are also being examined. These cases could have far-reaching implications for the digital ecosystem in India, potentially leading to stricter regulations and enforcement actions.

The concerns are not isolated to India. The two tech giants are under intense scrutiny in other major market including the US, EU, UK and Australia. These global investigations are focusing on various aspects of their business practices, such as search dominance, advertising strategies, app store policies and data privacy issues. The outcomes of these international cases may influence regulatory actions and set precedents for similar investigations in India.