Ads for Explicit ‘AI Girlfriends’ Are Swarming Facebook and Instagram
Apr 26, 2024
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Explore the controversy of sexually explicit 'AI girlfriend' ads on Meta platforms versus treatment of human sex workers. Discover the prevalence and features of AI companions compared to challenges faced by real sex workers in advertising. Delve into the ethical concerns and consequences of AI apps creating explicit content, shedding light on shady developer practices and challenges due to censorship.
Meta allows explicit AI girlfriend ads while suppressing human sex worker content.
AI girlfriend apps challenge traditional labor norms and online platform policies.
Deep dives
AI Girlfriend Ads on Meta Platforms
The online ad library reveals Meta hosting numerous ads for explicit AI companions on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These ads feature sexually suggestive content, including AI chatbots offering adult interactions and NSFW images. Despite Meta's policies against adult content, the ads for AI girlfriends continue to flourish, sparking debates on the treatment of AI chatbots versus human sex workers.
Controversial Double Standards
Human sex workers criticize Meta for allowing AI chatbot apps to promote NSFW experiences while strictly enforcing rules against adult content for human workers. The platform's alleged double standards are evident in how content related to sex education and positivity is suppressed while AI-generated explicit material thrives. The situation highlights an ongoing clash between conventional labor and AI technology in online spaces.
Challenges for Sex Workers and AI Apps
The presence of AI girlfriend apps advertising on Meta poses challenges for both sex workers and online platforms. Sex workers struggle to advertise due to platform restrictions, while AI apps promising explicit interactions evade scrutiny. The rise of AI companions draws parallels to early internet porn, raising concerns about censorship, content regulation, and the vulnerability of marginalized communities in the digital space.
WIRED found thousands of ads running on Meta’s social platforms promoting sexually explicit “AI girlfriend” apps. Some human sex workers say the platform unfairly polices their own posts more harshly. Thanks for listening to WIRED. Talk to you next time for more stories from WIRED.com and read this story here.