Your browser is: WebKit 537.36. This browser is out of date so some features on this site might break. Try a different browser or update this browser. Learn more.
Big Tech

Meta Advertisers Say Automated System Has Been Glitchy for Weeks

Marketers on Facebook and Instagram notice glitches, higher prices and poorer returns on the once-reliable network 

Photographer: Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

Businesses that rely on Facebook and Instagram advertising to stay afloat have noticed something startling over the past two months: Meta Platforms Inc.’s normally reliable ad system is faltering.

Social networking juggernaut Meta, which uses algorithms to automatically determine when and where to most effectively show advertising messages across its various apps, has been hammered by major performance issues, according to numerous marketers. The cost of running ad campaigns is up significantly, while results are mixed and ensuing sales are down — and there has been no formal explanation from the company, ad buyers say.