Meta adds AI tools to catch ads that steer users to child abuse material

The company says the new systems are meant to find hidden routes to illegal content before users report them.

Meta is expanding its child-safety detection with new AI systems that try to spot ads and accounts used to route people toward child sexual abuse material outside its apps, while also reporting large-scale enforcement on Facebook and Instagram. The company said it acted on 33.2 million pieces of child sexual exploitation content in the first half of 2026, with more than 97% found by its systems before users reported them; in India, it handled 5.3 million pieces and said more than 98% were proactively detected. The new tools include an LLM-based system for identifying “signposting,” scans for abuse content that older systems may have missed, a red-teaming AI agent to probe weaknesses in Meta’s defenses, and better detection of repeat offenders returning with new accounts. Meta also said it is paying closer attention to where an ad sends users, so it can block destinations and accounts tied to rule-breaking content. The rollout comes amid continuing scrutiny of child safety on Meta’s platforms, including an August agreement to pay up to $18 billion to settle a lawsuit with 29 U.S. states.