[News] Ads for Explicit ‘AI Girlfriends’ Are Swarming Facebook and Instagram

Meta’s ad library reveals thousands of ads promoting AI-generated “girlfriend” apps on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, offering sexually explicit images and text, despite Meta’s policy banning adult content. The ads feature lifelike, partially clothed, and stereotypically graphic virtual women, promising role-playing and explicit chats. Sex workers argue that Meta applies a double standard, shutting down their content while allowing AI chatbot apps to promote similar experiences. An investigation found over 29,000 ads for explicit AI “girlfriends,” with many using suggestive messaging, while Meta claims to prohibit ads with adult content. The controversy highlights the clash between AI-generated content and human sex workers, with some arguing that AI companions can provide emotional support, while others see them as exploitative and “scammy.”

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