Facebook and Instagram Ban Ads Targeting Teens Based on Gender

Meta Platforms Inc. is removing gender as an option for advertisers to target teens on Facebook. This change is in line with the company's commitment to creating a more inclusive environment for all users.

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Facebook is making changes to its advertising policy for young users, including stricter controls on what kinds of ads can be shown on Instagram.
User activity on Facebook and Instagram will no longer be used to tailor ads for teens, the company said in a blog post Tuesday. For example, engagement on certain Instagram posts or Facebook pages will no longer inform the types of ads that teens will see, the social-media company said.

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According to Meta, Facebook and Instagram will only use age and location to show ads to young people. This means that other factors, such as interests and demographics, will not be used to target ads.

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Meta has previously removed the ability for advertisers to target teens based on their interest and activities on other apps and websites. The company also prohibits ads on certain topics, like alcohol, financial products and weight loss products, for teens.

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As Meta faces increasing pressure from European regulators over its advertising policies, the company is making some changes. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission ruled last week that Meta can’t use its contracts with Facebook and Instagram users to justify sending them ads based on their online activity.

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Ireland's Data Protection Commission has imposed fines of 390 million euros on Meta, saying that the company has violated European Union privacy laws by saying that such ads are necessary to execute contracts with users. Meta has said that it disagrees with the ruling and plans to appeal both the ruling and the fines.
Meta announced on Monday that it has started using new technology to make housing ads on Facebook more equitable. This comes after the social media company agreed to change its advertising practices in 2021 to settle an investigation by the US government, which found that its ads were discriminatory against certain groups of people based on factors like race and gender.

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The company’s new Variance Reduction System uses machine-learning technology to show housing ads to audiences that more closely reflect the eligible target audience for that ad. This system is designed to improve the accuracy of ad targeting, and to reduce the amount of wasted ad impressions.