Facebook, Google Accused of Profiting From Illegal Medicine Ads

New research from the non-profit Reset Tech alleges that major online platforms, including Meta's Facebook and Google, have generated significant profits by allowing advertisements for illegal and unregulated health products to run on their sites. The report claims these advertisements directly contravene articles 34 and 35 of the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), which address systemic risks to public health and the responsibilities of Very Large Online Platforms. This finding is particularly concerning given that both Google and Facebook maintain their European headquarters in Dublin, Ireland.

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The policy and research organisation said the adverts constitute a “direct violation” of articles 34 and 35 of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), “regarding systemic risks to public health and the obligations of Very Large Online Platforms”.

The research identified over 352,000 advertisements promoting dubious health cures, often employing clickbait tactics. These ads allegedly impersonate medical professionals and celebrities, and misuse logos of legitimate pharmaceutical companies to enhance credibility. Reset Tech asserts that the content violates Meta's own advertising policies, which prohibit promotions for incurable diseases, body dysmorphic imagery, and trademark infringements. The report highlights specific instances, such as ads targeting Type 2 diabetes patients, urging them to abandon Metformin, and similar tactics targeting individuals with heart disease, cancer, and other serious conditions.

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The content of these ads violates Meta’s advertising policies against treatments for incurable diseases, promotion of body dysmorphic images, pornography and adult nudity, trademark infringements, and ad cloaking.

Reset Tech further points to sophisticated, long-term networks behind these campaigns, including automated accounts and operations like the Russian influence campaign Doppelgänger. While Google and Facebook maintain they have robust policies and swiftly remove violating content, the scale of the alleged problem, as detailed in the report, raises serious questions about the effectiveness of their enforcement. The research, which also included a smaller sample of Google ads, suggests a systemic issue that exploits vulnerable individuals seeking health solutions, with platforms allegedly profiting from the dissemination of dangerous misinformation.

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The doctors have been hiding this. Diabetes will disappear in 2 days. Finally, I was able to abandon Metformin.