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Tue, 15 Sep 2026

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 AI app ads promoting 'objectification of women' banned by watchdog

The ad regulator said it had "zero-tolerance" for ads promoting AI tools that could sexualise or objectify women.

* A UK watchdog has banned five social media ads promoting AI apps for objectifying and sexualizing women.
* The ads, which were uploaded to Meta platforms, featured sexually explicit content and encouraged users to create such material from real women's images without their consent.
* The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the ads had the potential "to cause real-world harm" and that none of the apps' creators responded to its enquiries.
* The ASA used its AI-powered "Active Ad Monitoring System" to identify the offending ads, which depicted women irresponsibly and were likely to cause serious or widespread offense.
* One ad for an AI companion generator was found to have portrayed someone under 18 in a sexual way, while others encouraged users to upload images of their "crush" and create sexually explicit videos.
* The ASA said the law had changed during its investigations, and that ads identified in future would be considered in light of both the law and its own rules.
* Where ads are identified as illegal, the ASA may notify platforms and law enforcement.
* Meta has removed the offending ads from its platforms, but has faced prior scrutiny over similar ads appearing on its platforms.