Instagram, Facebook Ran AI 'Nudify' Ads from China, Report Says

What happened

The Tech Transparency Project revealed that Facebook and Instagram carried approximately 7,600 ads for Chinese AI 'nudify' apps — which digitally strip clothing from images of people — placed through Meta's authorized advertising partner, Beijing-based GatherOne Inc.

Context and impact

The incident exposes a gap in Meta's ad moderation system: Chinese companies leveraged an authorized partner to circumvent Meta's policies prohibiting nudify apps. The report also raised concerns about content potentially involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). GatherOne announced it permanently banned the advertisers and stopped accepting nudify/face-swap accounts.

Details

• ~7,600 ads for AI nudify and face-swap apps ran on Facebook and Instagram
• Channel: GatherOne Inc. (Beijing), Meta's authorized partner enabling Chinese advertisers to reach global audiences
• Meta policy: prohibits non-consensual intimate imagery and nudify applications
• Report flagged content potentially involving CSAM
• GatherOne permanently banned the advertisers and ceased accepting similar accounts
• One named app removed from Google Play on July 21, 2026