In a recent crackdown, the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has prohibited several social media adverts by AI application developers due to concerns over the promotion of sexually explicit content and the objectification of women. The watchdog highlighted how five advertisements uploaded to Meta’s platforms utilised harmful gender stereotypes and depicted women in a sexualised manner.
Watchdog Takes Action Against Offensive Content
The complaints arose from adverts for AI companion and video-generating applications that encouraged users to exploit female images for explicit content. One advert shockingly used sexualised images of an underage girl to promote an AI companion tool, while others offered features to transform images of people’s “crushes” into suggestive videos.
Despite Meta’s prior removal of these ads, ASA’s spokesperson Nicky Baker emphasised the potential for real-world damage caused by such advertising. Baker stated that the propagation of images as explicit content without consent, particularly objectifying women, posed considerable risks.
Intensified Legal Framework and Monitoring
These judgments align with recent legal developments in the UK, where creating non-consensual deepfake nude imagery has been criminalised. In light of these legislative changes, ASA affirmed that any forthcoming advertisements will be reviewed under both the updated legal standards and the organisation’s guidelines. Illegal adverts could lead to notifications being sent to relevant platforms and law enforcement authorities.
Using its AI-driven Active Ad Monitoring System, the ASA identified the offending advertisements, which contravened UK advertising regulations. Adverts for an AI companion app by Animcha Ltd, which sexually depicted minors, were particularly criticised. Nexaipic and Rusto AI’s tools, known for enabling users to create sexually explicit images, were also called out. An advertisement by PictoPop, for instance, used inappropriate imagery, placing women in submissive roles.
Broader Scrutiny of Social Media Giants
Researcher Alexios Mantzarlis revealed that in September, an independent analysis uncovered over 11,000 adverts on Meta’s platforms seeking to convert fully clothed images into explicit content. While the majority of these were automatically removed, previously identified violating parties remained active. Meta, citing proactive steps to mitigate “nudification” apps, declined to comment further on this specific ASA ruling.
Meta has shared past efforts against such content, reporting the removal of over 344,000 adverts for nudification apps between November 2025 and January 2026 on both Facebook and Instagram.
Reporting based on coverage first published by bbc.co.uk.