Meta platforms have been found running ads for Kromix, an AI tool that promoted sexual deepfake content involving real people, including a video closely resembling a prominent female US politician. The ads appeared on Meta's platforms despite rules that ban sexual content and the promotion of 'nudify' apps.
The findings were reported by WIRED on August 18 after researchers from the Tech Transparency Project found the ads in Meta's ad library. Meta later removed the ads after WIRED contacted the company, while Apple also removed the Kromix app from its App Store following questions from the publication.
How the Kromix Ads Reached Meta Users
Kromix presented itself as an 'AI image styler', but one video ad reviewed by WIRED promoted the tool as having 'no restrictions'. The ad also said that its characters were real people and used language aimed at male users.
One of the ads showed a woman who closely resembled a prominent female US politician standing in front of US flags. The video then moved to a sexual scene featuring a woman with the same face, making it appear that the politician had been placed into the video.
Meta's ad library showed that the campaign was aimed only at male users and used the slogan 'Unleash Next-gen AI Magic'. The account linked to the campaign ran 32 ads, with each one active for between five and 46 hours, while most received 10 or fewer views.
Meta's Rules Do Not Allow This Content
The ads are notable because Meta's own rules ban sexual images in advertising, including nudity, sexual acts and sexual content. Its wider rules also ban non-consensual intimate images and the promotion of apps that can remove clothing from photos.
🇺🇲 Mark Zuckerberg needs to get his mind off foil boarding and on the prevention of deepfake porn popping up on his platforms.
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 19, 2026
Kromix, which bills itself as an “AI image styler” app, is really an AI porn-generation tool that recently had ads running on Meta platforms.
One of… pic.twitter.com/HlalpHLhdv
Meta says ads are checked before they appear on Facebook and Instagram. The company says its review system mainly uses automatic tools to check ads and other parts of an advertiser's account for possible rule violations.
The Kromix campaign appears to have passed those checks before it was later removed. WIRED also found that the page behind the ads was created on August 3 and had no followers, details that could have raised questions about the account before the ads started running.
Why The Ads Were Harder to Detect
The ads did not always show the harmful material in their opening image. WIRED reported that many of the videos used pictures of beaches, mountains or waterfalls as cover images, which could make the ads look harmless during an early check.
Meta let Kromix ads slip onto its platforms, including one pitch as “the AI that men actually use.” WIRED reported the campaign targeted men and vanished after press scrutiny. The takeaway: deepfake porn ads are a platform-safety failure, not a side issue. pic.twitter.com/vQHvw2LGz8
— Migo (@ReiteConMig0) August 19, 2026
Meta said this is one-way advertisers try to get around its systems. Cindy Southworth, the company's head of women's safety, said Meta is working to find these methods and improve its checks, while also admitting that its systems are not perfect.
The problem is not limited to one campaign. Meta said it removed more than 344,000 ads promoting 'nudify' apps from Facebook and Instagram between November 2025 and January 2026, showing how large the problem has become.
Apple Also Removed the Kromix App
Kromix was available through Apple's App Store before WIRED contacted Apple about the app. The company then removed it, saying the app appeared to have added features that were not allowed after its first review.
Apple's App Store rules ban overtly sexual or pornographic material. The rules also say apps that are mainly used for pornography, objectifying real people or similar harmful activity can be removed from the store.
The removal shows that the problem reached beyond social media ads. It also raises questions about how apps using AI to change real people's faces can pass checks on major online platforms before being found and removed.
Female Politicians Are a Growing Deepfake Target
The case also points to a wider problem involving sexual deepfakes of women in public life. WIRED reported that female politicians and other elected officials have been targeted by fake sexual images and videos for years, with AI making such content easier to create.
Benjamin Shultz of the American Sunlight Project said ordinary photos and videos of politicians can now become material for tools that create harmful fake content. This means a public photo from a campaign, news event or official account can potentially be reused in ways the person never agreed to.
The issue has also drawn attention from lawmakers and technology groups. In January, US senators asked major technology companies, including Meta, to explain how they were protecting people from sexualised deepfakes and what steps they were taking to detect and remove them.
Meta Says It Is Working To Stop Nudify Ads
Meta said it is building new AI tools to find ads for nudify apps and is taking legal action against some companies behind them. The company also said it shares information about removed apps and developers with other technology companies to help stop the same services from spreading elsewhere.90
The company has also pointed to the large number of ads it has removed as proof that it is taking the issue seriously. However, the Kromix case shows that some harmful ads can still appear before Meta's systems catch them.
For users, the case is another reminder that an ad appearing on Facebook or Instagram does not mean the product has been fully approved as safe or acceptable. The Kromix ads were removed only after the issue was brought to Meta's attention, while Apple removed the app after WIRED contacted the company.
