Advertisers will no longer be able to target teens based on gender in new rule by Meta

Meta has put up a blogpost stating that it will no longer enable advertisers to target ads at teens based on gender. Come February onwards, Meta says that age and location will be the only information about a teen that will be used to show them ads.

“Age and location help us continue to ensure teens see ads that are meant for their age and products and services available where they live,” it said.

Meta says the change comes as the company “recognises that teens aren’t necessarily as equipped as adults to make decisions about how their online data is used for advertising”, particularly when it comes to showing them products available to purchase.

“For that reason, we’re further restricting the options advertisers have to reach teens, as well as the information we use to show ads to teens,” it said.

The news comes shortly after Ireland’s data privacy regulators fined it over US$400 million this week for breaches on both its Facebook and Instagram services related to targeted advertisements that are sent to users based on their online activity.

Meanwhile, earlier last week the public school district in the US city of Seattle filed a lawsuit against tech giants including Meta for allegedly causing teens harm and impacting their mental health. The tech giants were being held accountable for the “harm they have wreaked on the social, emotional, and mental health” of teenage students, said the lawsuit. 

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