🎧 Audio
📖 Script
Meta, the company behind popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is facing scrutiny over its involvement with scam advertisements. Internal documents have revealed that Meta potentially forecasts a revenue of $24 billion from ads related to fraudulent activities. These ads often promote fake e-commerce websites, misleading investment schemes, illegal online casinos, and the sale of banned medical products. This situation is economically significant because it affects millions of users worldwide, who may fall victim to these scams, causing financial loss and trust issues in online platforms.
The prevalence of scam ads on social media platforms raises serious concerns about user safety and the ethical responsibilities of tech companies. Many users have reported being tricked into buying non-existent products or investing in false ventures, only to realize they have been scammed. This not only leads to personal financial losses but also damages the reputation of the platforms themselves.
Meta has been criticized for not doing enough to prevent these fraudulent ads from appearing on its platforms. Critics argue that the company prioritizes revenue over user safety, as these scam ads bring in significant advertising income. However, Meta claims it is actively working to improve its systems to detect and remove scam ads more effectively. The company states that it employs advanced algorithms and human reviewers to identify and take down fraudulent content.
This issue not only impacts individual users but also has broader implications for the digital advertising industry. As more people become aware of these scams, there could be a decline in user trust and engagement with online ads, potentially affecting the entire ecosystem of digital marketing.
In conclusion, while Meta continues to generate substantial revenue from advertising, it faces a growing challenge to maintain user trust and ensure the safety of its online environment. The company needs to balance its financial objectives with its ethical responsibilities to protect its users from fraudulent activities.
📝 Vocabulary
- fraudulent: involving deception, especially criminal deception
例文: “The company was fined for its fraudulent advertising practices.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- fraudulent activity
- fraudulent scheme
- fraudulent claim
詐欺の - scrutiny: critical observation or examination
例文: “The new policy is under public scrutiny.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- under scrutiny
- face scrutiny
- intense scrutiny
精査 - revenue: income generated from normal business operations
例文: “The company’s revenue increased by 10% last year.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- generate revenue
- increase revenue
- annual revenue
収益 - ethical: relating to moral principles
例文: “The company faced an ethical dilemma over its business practices.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- ethical responsibility
- ethical standards
- ethical issues
倫理的な - algorithm: a process or set of rules to be followed in calculations or problem-solving operations
例文: “Search engines use algorithms to rank web pages.”
Collocations／日本語の意味を見る
- search algorithm
- algorithm design
- algorithm development
アルゴリズム
✏️ Grammar Point
Relative Clauses – “These ads often promote fake e-commerce websites, misleading investment schemes, illegal online casinos, and the sale of banned medical products.”
文法の日本語補足を見る
💡 使用場面
関係代名詞は、話の中で情報を詳しく説明する際に使われます。ビジネスでは、製品やサービスを説明する際に便利です。
📝 使用例文
“例: In a business meeting, you might say: ‘If we cut costs now, we can increase our profit margin next quarter.’”
❓ Listening Questions
- True/False: Meta is expected to earn $24 billion from legitimate ads.
- MCQ: What types of scams are mentioned in the script?
a) Lottery scams
b) E-commerce and investment schemes
c) Identity theft
d) Political ads - MCQ: What is a major concern regarding scam ads on social media platforms?
a) Increased user engagement
b) Damage to platform reputation
c) Lack of advertisement diversity
d) Higher costs for advertisers
🔑 Listening Answersを見る
- False
- b) E-commerce and investment schemes
- b) Damage to platform reputation
📚 Reading Questions
- What types of fraudulent ads are users exposed to on Meta’s platforms?
- Why might user trust in online ads decline according to the script?
- What does the word “scrutiny” mean in the context of the script?
🔑 Reading Answersを見る
- Users are exposed to scams like fake e-commerce sites, investment schemes, illegal casinos, and banned medical product sales.
- User trust might decline due to the prevalence of scams causing financial loss and distrust in ads.
- Scrutiny means critical observation or examination.
🇯🇵 日本語での経済ニュース解説
Meta社が運営するFacebook、Instagram、WhatsAppなどのプラットフォームで、詐欺広告が広がっていることが明らかになりました。内部文書によると、これらの広告からの収益は240億ドルに達すると予測されています。この問題は、ユーザーの信頼を損ねるだけでなく、デジタル広告業界全体に影響を及ぼします。日本でもオンライン詐欺は増加しており、消費者保護の観点からも注目されています。今後、企業はより厳しい規制や監視を求められる可能性があります。
Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-07/meta-making-billions-from-scam-ads/105983808
