Tech giant Meta is facilitating the sale of illegal vapes by allowing the advertisement of the banned devices to Australian users, ACM has found. or signup to continue reading ACM verified 15 pages currently running paid advertisements across Meta platforms, including on Facebook, Instagram and on Reels, in breach of Australian law and Meta's own advertising standards. The illicit tobacco and e-cigarette commissioner Erin Dale said it was "really concerning" to see these ads undermine Australia's regulatory framework and public health.
Ten further pages verified by ACM showed previous advertising of the banned devices since the vaping ban became law. Some pages that previously had ads removed were able to advertise again with the same or similar content. The advertisements link to online stores and, in some cases, provide details to send a message via Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, Meta-owned messaging apps.
Parliament in June, making it illegal to sell vapes except in a pharmacy from July 1, 2024, and requiring buyers to hold a prescription. The was passed alongside the ban, outlawing the advertising of vaping devices with a maximum penalty of seven years in prison. Meta ad library, which tracks how pages advertise on their platforms, shows many of the pages are moderated by accounts mostly listed as being in China and south-east Asia.
ACM did not find any accounts officially linked to Australian profiles. The text in some of the ads included references to shipping difficul.