HARRISBURG, PA — A bipartisan coalition of 35 state and territorial attorneys general is pressing Meta to rein in what they describe as a surge of deceptive, AI-generated weight-loss advertising flooding Facebook and Instagram, warning that misleading images and false medical claims are putting consumers at risk.
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday is co-leading the effort alongside attorneys general from North Carolina, Connecticut, and Ohio. In a joint letter to Meta, the coalition accuses the social media giant of failing to enforce its own advertising rules as companies promote weight-loss drugs and supplements using fabricated before-and-after photos, fictional spokespeople, and sweeping promises of rapid results.
“Pennsylvanians deserve honest information about their health, not A.I.-generated deception designed to push potentially unsafe products by exploiting customer insecurity,” Sunday said. He argued that ads using artificial intelligence to invent images, endorsements, and medical claims cross a dangerous line, adding that Meta’s consumer protection policies amount to “window dressings” without meaningful enforcement.
The concerns center on the explosive popularity of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and the thousands of ads now targeting consumers directly through Meta’s platforms. According to the coalition, many of these ads promote non-FDA-approved or compounded versions of the drugs while downplaying or omitting risks and side effects. Some ads allegedly promise extreme outcomes, including claims of massive weight loss in a matter of weeks.
Meta already maintains policies governing pharmaceutical and health-related advertising, including requirements that ads target adults, avoid promoting unrealistic body images, and provide clear information about effectiveness and affordability. The attorneys general contend those standards are being widely ignored, with ads appealing to insecurity and framing weight loss as a path to confidence, attractiveness, and social advancement rather than health.
The letter cites examples of ads built around body close-ups and side-by-side comparisons, often timed to milestones such as weddings, vacations, or the holiday season. Many use unlabeled AI-generated imagery, including fabricated nurses, pharmacists, or law enforcement officers portrayed as endorsing the products.
Beyond stricter enforcement of existing rules, the coalition is urging Meta to limit prescription drug advertising in the United States to FDA-approved products, require clear disclosures of risks and side effects, ban AI-generated content in weight-loss drug ads, and improve labeling and detection tools for artificial intelligence–created material. The group also wants Meta to steer users searching for weight-loss products toward credible safety and educational resources.
Attorneys general from states and territories including California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, Washington, and the District of Columbia joined the call, framing the issue as a growing consumer protection challenge as artificial intelligence reshapes online advertising.
The coalition warned that without stronger action, social media platforms risk becoming a marketplace where sophisticated technology amplifies health misinformation at scale, with real-world consequences for consumers seeking safe and effective weight-loss options.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.