UK watchdog bans AI app ads for sexual objectification

The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned five social media advertisements for AI applications, citing the promotion of sexually explicit content and the objectification of women. The ads, which appeared on Meta platforms, were identified using the regulator’s AI-powered Active Ad Monitoring System.

Specific violations included ads for tools such as tyan.ai, Nexaipic, KH31 DD22, Rusto AI, and PictoPop. The ASA found that these advertisements encouraged users to create seductive or sexually explicit videos from images of women, often without their consent. One advertisement for an AI companion app, developed by Animcha Ltd, was noted for portraying an individual who appeared to be under 18 in a sexualized manner.

The watchdog stated that the content promoted harmful gender stereotypes and had the potential to cause real-world harm. The crackdown follows recent UK legal changes that made the supply of AI “nudification” apps a criminal offense. The ASA indicated that future investigations will consider both its own regulatory rules and these new laws, noting that it may notify law enforcement if illegal content is identified.