Brands React: Instagram's Crisis Era Exposes Child Predator Concerns
Brands including dating app companies, Disney, Pizza Hut, and Walmart have suspended their Instagram advertising after tests conducted by the Wall Street Journal and The Canadian Centre for Child Protection revealed that major brand ads were being served alongside sexually explicit material when mimicking the behavior of child predators on the platform. The tests found tens of thousands of accounts matching this profile, raising concerns about inappropriate ad placement. Two dating app brands have suspended their ads across all Meta platforms, and other brands are seeking independent audits to assess the risk to their brands.