Meta Platforms quietly developed an internal “playbook” to push back against growing pressure from regulators demanding tougher action on scam advertising across Facebook and Instagram, according to internal documents reviewed by Reuters. The materials show that beyond removing some fraudulent ads, Meta also worked to make scam content harder for authorities to find when they actively searched for it.
The issue came to a head in Japan last year, where regulators raised concerns over a surge of obvious scam advertisements. These ranged from fake investment opportunities to AI-generated celebrity endorsements promoting fraudulent products. Internally, Meta feared Japanese authorities might require the company to verify the identity of all advertisers — a move that could significantly reduce fraud but also threaten advertising revenue.
To prevent such regulation, Meta launched an enforcement push aimed at lowering the visible volume of scam ads. At the same time, documents reveal the company explored ways to reduce the “discoverability” of problematic ads for regulators, effectively limiting what officials could easily detect during investigations.
The files are part of a broader internal cache spanning four years, involving teams from finance, legal, public policy, and safety. Together, they paint a picture of a company grappling with rapidly growing fraudulent advertising worldwide — while also resisting government efforts that could impact billions of dollars in ad income.
