Fun

Australian regulator claims 58% of crypto ads on Facebook are scams

News Feed - 2024-08-15 11:08:49

Stephen Katte6 hours agoAustralian regulator claims 58% of crypto ads on Facebook are scamsAustralia’s competition watchdog cited preliminary research that found more than half of the crypto ads on the platform breach Meta’s policies or involve scams.787 Total views5 Total sharesListen to article 0:00NewsOwn this piece of crypto historyCollect this article as NFTCOINTELEGRAPH IN YOUR SOCIAL FEEDFollow ourSubscribe onOver half of crypto ads on Facebook are either scams or violate Meta’s policies, according to Australia’s competition watchdog — citing preliminary research. 


In 2022, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) took Facebook parent company Meta to court over allegations the company had “aided and abetted” celebrity crypto scam ads on Facebook. A hearing date has yet to be set.


In the latest filing to federal court, the ACCC claims that during its preliminary analysis of crypto advertisements on the platform, upward of 58% of those reviewed violated “Meta"s Advertising Policies or, potentially, involved scams.”


The ads, which promote crypto investment scams, use the image of high-profile Australians, such as entrepreneur Dick Smith, billionaire former casino executive James Packer, Hollywood actors Chris Hemsworth, Mel Gibson, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and former politician Mike Baird.


No specific figure is mentioned for possible losses associated with these scams, but the Australian Government website Scamwatch shows that investment scams are still the most prominent way Aussies are losing money.Investment scams taking more cash from Aussies than any other scam in 2024. Source: Scamwatch 


So far, in 2024, there have been 3,456 reports of investment scams, totaling over $78 million in losses. 


The ACCC says it identified 600 ads during its investigation. However, it is now focused on just 234 and claims it could find other instances of celebrity scams after the discovery process in the case.


In December of 2023, Billionaire Australian mining tycoon Andrew Forrest sued Meta over Facebook ads that used deep fakes of his image to promote scam crypto schemes. It was originally thrown out, but a United States judge gave the case a green light to proceed in June.


At the same time, the regulator argues that since “at least January 2018, Meta has been aware that a significant proportion of cryptocurrency advertisements on the Facebook Platform have used misleading or deceptive promotional practices.”


Related:Celebrity crypto tokens will ‘absolutely’ catch SEC’s eye — Lawyers


“Advertisers are required to agree to certain contractual terms, which include compliance with Meta’s Advertising Policies. These policies prohibit advertisements which promote schemes using deceptive or misleading practices,” the ACCC said.


According to the Australia Watchdog, Meta does possess the “technical ability, or could have developed technology,” to place warnings on suspect ads, warning users they should exercise care when interacting.


It’s alleged that while Meta takes down individual ads once complaints are received and, on occasion, bans associated accounts, it continues to show and earn revenue from similar ads featuring the same celebrity or other public figures.


Meta claims in its safety center that it invests in “products and support systems to keep the scammers out” and deletes fake accounts.Facebook took action on 691 million fake accounts in the fourth quarter of 2023, down from 827 million in the previous quarter. Source: Statista


Statista data estimates that in the fourth quarter of 2023, Facebook took action on 691 million fake accounts, down from 827 million in the previous quarter and the high of 2.2 billion fake profiles in 2019. 


Cointelegraph has contacted Meta for comment on the ACCC’s allegations.


Magazine:AI may already use more power than Bitcoin — and it threatens Bitcoin mining# Bitcoin# Facebook# Adoption# Bitcoin Scams# Advertisement# ScamsAdd reaction

News Feed

Estonia Revokes More Than 1,000 Crypto Firms’ Licenses This Year
Estonia Revokes More Than 1,000 Crypto Firms" Licenses This Year Over 1,000 cryptocurrency firms’ licenses have been revoked in Estonia this year as the co
Elisha Owusu Akyaw11 hours agoHashing It Out: What happens when cloud meets Web3?The guests on this episode of Hashing It Out discuss how cloud technology and Web3 intersect, with a special focus on user identity and reg
Tron network exceeds Ethereum revenue over the past 90 days
Vince Quill6 hours agoTron network exceeds Ethereum revenue over the past 90 daysAccording to data from DefiLlama, the Tron network has accrued $1.31 million in network revenue during the past 24 hours alone.884 Total vi
Poloniex prepares to resume withdrawals after $100M hack
Helen Partz9 hours agoPoloniex prepares to resume withdrawals after $100M hackPoloniex says it will start resuming deposits on Nov. 30 with TRX, the cryptocurrency of Justin Sun’s Tron blockchain.1408 Total views13 Tot
An Anime Action Adventure: YOANN․IO Seed Launch on KICK․IO
An Anime Action Adventure: YOANN․IO Seed Launch on KICK․IO press release PRESS RELEASE.Metaverses are here, and they are the next generation of gaming.
Bank of America and JPMorgan Say US Economy Is Doing Well, Consumers Are in Good Shape Despite Inflation
Bank of America and JPMorgan Say US Economy Is Doing Well, Consumers Are in Good Shape Despite Inflation Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan and JPMorgan & Chase CEO Jamie Dimon
Catching The Next Quick 5X: Why The Dogecoin Price Should Be On Your Radar
Este artículo también está disponible en español. Recent developments suggest that crypto investors looking to catch the next quick 5x should be keeping an eye on the Dog
Turner Wright11 hours agoBlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF the 7th application delayed by SEC on Aug. 31The world’s largest asset manager has been waiting to offer an exchange-traded fund for its iShares Bitcoin Trust in the U
James Sweet: Voices of Dissent
James Sweet: Voices of Dissent If you are a voice of dissent, you have a unique opportunity. You live in a time that puts you at an advantage to change the world
Value Locked in Defi Drops to Lows Not Seen Since March, Ethereum Dominates TVL by 57%
Value Locked in Defi Drops to Lows Not Seen Since March, Ethereum Dominates TVL by 57% The state of decentralized finance (defi) in terms of total value locked (TVL) has been tumul
Galaxy Digital stock pullback a buying opportunity — Analyst
Alex O’Donnell4 hours agoGalaxy Digital stock pullback a buying opportunity — AnalystShares are a bargain after second-quarter earnings sent the stock down roughly 16%, says Benchmark analyst Mark Palmer.1756 Total v
Hacker Siphons $3 Million Worth of DAI and ETH From Defi Protocol Deus Finance
Hacker Siphons $3 Million Worth of DAI and ETH From Defi Protocol Deus Finance Another decentralized finance (defi) protocol was breached this week after it was discovered that a h