EU probes Google-Meta secret ad deal for minors- report

European regulators are seeking additional details from Google regarding a discontinued advertising collaboration with Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META ), which is the parent company of Instagram.

This partnership, which was intended to target teenagers aged 13 to 17 on YouTube for the promotion of Instagram, bypassed Google's own regulations concerning online privacy for minors.

The Financial Times disclosed in August the existence of this covert marketing initiative that was operational in the United States with plans for a global rollout. However, the project has been terminated according to the Financial Times.

Despite the partnership no longer being active, officials from the European Commission have been examining the details of the collaboration. They have compiled information and forwarded it to regulatory bodies deliberating on potential actions. This development was reported by the Financial Times, referencing sources knowledgeable about the situation.

In October, European Commission officials directed lawyers from Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL ), Google's parent company, to collect and review various materials. These included data, presentations, internal discussions, and emails that were pertinent to the advertising campaigns.

Google’s policy restricts advertising targeting based on the age, gender, or interests of individuals under the age of 18.

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Source: Investing.com