FT News Briefing Google and Meta’s secret deal
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Aug 8, 2024 A covert advertising deal between Google and Meta to target teenagers raises serious ethical questions about big tech's responsibility. Meanwhile, the UK’s largest private pension fund has pulled £80 million from Israeli assets amid growing scrutiny. In Bangladesh, political unrest and economic turmoil have escalated, with curfews affecting garment factories and a contentious job quota system fueling protests. The podcast reveals how these global dynamics intertwine with the tech industry's self-regulatory challenges.
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Secret Ad Deal
- Google and Meta partnered on ads targeting teenagers on YouTube, bypassing Google's own policies.
- This deal aimed to promote Instagram against competitors like TikTok and Snap, exploiting a loophole by targeting an "unknown" demographic.
The Workaround
- Google proposed a workaround using an "unknown" demographic that skewed young, even though they couldn't directly target teens.
- The deal was kept secret, with no written communication, suggesting both parties knew it skirted the rules.
Responses to the Investigation
- When confronted, Google launched an internal investigation and canceled the project, promising stricter enforcement.
- Meta was less apologetic, claiming they hadn't broken any rules and wanting more teenagers on their platforms.