Companies likely didn't hear about these examples in the #AWNewYork sessions they may have attended this week, but the takeaway is clear:

Google, Meta, and Amazon are failing to grapple with the harm that is caused—on and off platform—by their poorly moderated ad systems.

And on Amazon’s Twitch, pro-Russian propaganda accounts collected revenue through subscriptions and advertising, despite the streaming platform’s commitment to fighting “harmful misinformation actors.” techtransparencyproject.org/articles/amazo…

Google’s arrangement with these fringe sites allowed both parties to profit from disinformation—which is why you may find the GEICO Gecko next to a story spinning 5G conspiracy theories.

Google’s DoubleClick and AdSense tools have done further damage, charging legitimate companies for ads that end up on websites pushing coronavirus conspiracies (and related snake oil “remedies”). techtransparencyproject.org/articles/googl…

This Liberty Mutual ad ran before a Polish-language clip that spread racist disinformation about COVID-19 and was viewed over 20,000 times.

Thanks to YouTube, the video's creator was paid for their harmful content.

Google-owned YouTube’s ad placements rewarded the creators of this type of Covid-19 disinformation, who were able to monetize their videos and be paid accordingly. techtransparencyproject.org/articles/googl…

In one ironic twist, a paid message about vaccine facts from American Lung Association accompanied a video that spread harmful false information about alleged vaccine side effects.

Vaccine conspiracy theories have also found a home on YouTube, despite the platform’s supposed commitment to fighting disinformation. While false videos on “vaccine shedding” and secretly injected “chips” accumulated views, Google-owned YouTube profited. techtransparencyproject.org/articles/covid…

Here, a Vrbo ad appeared before a YouTube video promoting the Three Percenters, a violent US militia group whose members have been sentenced to prison for their role in the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol.

Earlier this year, TTP also documented the spread of domestic extremism via YouTube— where militia groups have posted hundreds of videos to recruit new members and demonstrate tactics or weaponry. techtransparencyproject.org/articles/youtu…

Our account—which is meant to mirror the behavior of a domestic extremist—was served Baltimore Police, FBI, and National Guard recruitment ads while actively viewing extremist content.

When TTP conducted a check-in on extremist activity on Facebook around the one-year anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection, we found a shocking amount of extremist content.

Alongside some of this content? Recruitment ads for military and law enforcement. techtransparencyproject.org/articles/year-…

Just hours after the tragic mass shooting in Buffalo, one TTP Facebook search for the live-stream of the shooting surfaced an ad for a MasterClass course taught by Ninja on how to 'become a better streamer.”