Silicon Valley-based Western tech giants Meta* and Google permit the placement and promotion of advertisements for unapproved and unsafe treatments for women in Kenya, the country's media group Fumbua, focusing on debunking of misinformation, revealed in a report.
According to the organization, the platforms are running ads selling yoni pearls – mesh-wrapped herb balls – to be inserted into the vagina to allegedly treat infections, regulate hormones, enhance fertility and even prevent cancer, "despite the lack of credible scientific research to support such assertions."
"Any claims of benefit of such products are not supported by scientific evidence, with medical professionals cautioning against using such products," the report read.
Fumbua concluded that even though these tech behemoths have policies banning "miracle cures and health misinformation," yoni pearls are heavily advertised on Facebook and Google.
Moreover, Facebook's algorithms, as the report said, are often "amplifying this content," and it is letting ads for vaginal magic bullets target Kenyan users.
"Facebook and Instagram, now organized under the parent company Meta, have become key conduits for promoting yoni-related products and peddling misinformation about them," the report explained.
Fumbua added that Google and YouTube are also part of this system, "profiting off ads for vaginal detox products despite the evident health risks."
Thus, the companies' futility in regulating such content can have sweeping consequences worldwide, especially when coupled with already existing women's health issues.
"In the case of Kenya, the companies’ failures pose a serious threat to women’s health in a country already struggling with poverty, high rates of maternal and infant mortality, and infectious diseases like HIV and tuberculosis," the report read.
Speaking about the dossier, Wanjiru Nguhi, the chief researcher, noted that it is particularly "alarming" how easily these advertisements can be found.
"People are not just able to sell things that are harmful, but to do so publicly and even pay for these adverts to go viral. There’s an audacious impunity about it," Nguhi said.
This is not the first time Meta has faced accusations in the East African nation. In March, the social network giant faced a lawsuit from 43 Kenyan content moderators, who accused the tech company of unfair termination "in retaliation for complaints about working conditions and attempts to form a union."
*Meta, Instagram and Facebook are banned in Russia over extremist activities