IAB UK has confirmed that Meta remains a member of the industry body for digital advertising, following IAB Sweden’s decision this week to expel the social media giant from its chapter.
A spokesperson for IAB UK told The Media Leader: “Meta continues to be a member of IAB UK. As a trade body, our aim is to work with the broadest possible membership to help make digital advertising better for everyone and address shared industry challenges.”
Meta was formally excluded from IAB Sweden on 11 March after a board vote. The company will have an opportunity to appeal the decision at IAB Sweden’s annual general meeting on 15 April.
IAB Sweden’s board cited Meta’s insufficient efforts to tackle “deceptive ads” as the main factor in its decision.
In November, a Reuters report by Jeff Horwitz revealed that the tech giant internally projected it would earn about 10% of its overall annual revenue in 2024 (equivalent to $16bn) from running ads for scams and banned goods.
At the UK Advertising Association’s annual LEAD conference in February, Meta’s security policy manager for community defence, Rima Amin, disputed the report. She claimed that “real scams” on Meta “might” have accounted for 3-4% of Meta’s total annual revenue in 2024, equivalent to $5bn-$7bn.
She also revealed that just 55% of Meta’s 2024 ad revenue was derived from verified advertisers on its platform. Amin claimed Meta increased that figure to 70% in 2025 and hopes to increase it to 90% this year by expanding verification requirements for advertisers.
“IAB Sweden will continue to push for improvements to the advertising environment and continue to work for good marketing practices,” IAB Sweden chairman Daniel Weilar commented. “However, Meta will now have to present evidence in order to be able to re-enter as a member.”
IAB Sweden’s board initially sought to allow Meta to remain a member, on the condition that it not be given a board seat. When it was determined to be impossible, the board reconvened and decided to expel the tech giant.
IAB UK’s statement follows complaints from an anonymous group of advertising agency leaders that UK advertising industry associations have failed to “make a material stand” against tech platforms even as some flout transparency standards.
“The presence of Big Tech companies in industry-wide meetings and initiatives,” the group argued, has limited efforts to “reduce their negative impact rather than preventing digital harms.”
As Thinkbox’s Lindsey Clay pointed out, Meta was awarded the IAB’s Gold Standard certification in 2025 despite deriving substantial revenue from fraud.
If Meta is gold standard, what’s sub-standard?
Meta admits revenue from fraud and scam ads ‘might’ have accounted for 3-4% of total revenue
