January 9, 2026
Tokyo – A new service has been launched that uses artificial intelligence to identify inappropriate posts on social networking sites, including sexual or violent content, and prevent digital ads from being shown to you.
The service was launched jointly by Hakuhodo and Meta Platforms, Inc., and will also be introduced on the SNS Facebook and Instagram operated by Meta.
Target ads that appear before or after a post to prevent people from being misled into thinking the advertiser is affiliated with inappropriate content.
Utilizes technology from the American company DoubleVerify, which uses AI to analyze text and images. It will also be possible to distribute advertisements during times when advertising costs are low.
Hakuhodo has been providing a similar service for video ads on YouTube, operated by Google LLC, since 2024, and is used by more than 30 companies, including major beverage manufacturers.
With this initiative, the company will strengthen the security of advertising distribution on social networking sites.
With the spread of smartphones, the digital advertising market continues to expand. According to Dentsu, domestic digital advertising expenditures in 2024 will be 3.65 trillion yen, accounting for 47.6% of total advertising expenditures including newspapers and television.
However, it is difficult for advertisers to understand how digital ads are actually being delivered. User Submissions may contain sexual and violent content, as well as false information and inappropriate content that may lead to fraudulent activities.
Platforms like Meta and Google are also working on countermeasures, but have not been able to completely eliminate this content.
In response to this situation, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications published guidelines for advertisers in June last year, calling for measures such as monitoring and checking where digital ads are placed and creating a list of sites where they do not wish to be placed.
