Daybreak Meta has an illegal gambling ads problem. It doesn't really care
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Jan 14, 2026 Illegal gambling ads continue to flood Meta platforms, even after a ban in India. Investigations reveal Meta knowingly calculates the cost of enforcement against potential revenue. Many countries report similar issues as removal requests go unanswered. Instead of pulling the ads, Meta opts for making them less visible. This raises questions about the ethics of compliance and accountability in the digital advertising space. The podcast explores how corporate interests are prioritized over regulatory adherence.
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Platform Profit Over Strong Enforcement
- Meta knowingly profited from scam and illegal gambling ads while limiting enforcement to protect revenue.
- Internal documents show enforcement budgets capped at 0.15% of revenue, revealing a cost-benefit choice over full compliance.
Algorithmic Amplification Of Scam Ads
- Meta's systems surface roughly 15 billion high-risk scam ads daily, amplifying harm via recommendation algorithms.
- Interaction-driven feeds make these ads repeatedly reappear, increasing user exposure and risk.
High Certainty Cutoff Lets Shady Ads Persist
- Meta sets a high enforcement threshold, banning advertisers only at 95% certainty and otherwise just charging higher ad rates.
- That 95% cutoff creates a deliberate 5% uncertainty zone where shady ads continue to run.