Academic, scientist, and broadcaster Lord Robert Winston has issued a warning about social media advertisers using his image to promote what he describes as “completely dangerous remedies” for erectile dysfunction and prostate issues. The Labour peer and IVF pioneer said he has been “plagued by complaints” from members of the public who saw the adverts online.
Lord Winston's Concerns
Speaking in the House of Lords, Lord Winston explained that for about three months, he has received numerous complaints from individuals who encountered videos and digital images of himself promoting certain medicines on Instagram and Facebook. “These medicines generally refer to erectile dysfunction and other issues with the prostate,” he stated. He questioned what could be done about such advertising, noting that people have been paying money for these dangerous remedies.
Government Response
Technology minister Baroness Lloyd of Effra responded by stating that fraud is illegal and a priority offence under the Online Safety Act. She emphasized that platforms are required to act when their services are used for scams or misleading advertisements. “It is in Ofcom’s hands to ensure there is compliance with the Act and the duties under that Act. And we have made it very clear to Ofcom that we support it taking that kind of enforcement action,” she said.
Meta's Actions
According to Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, the firm removed over 159 million scam adverts last year. Meta detected 92% of scam adverts before any user reported them, and it removed 10.9 million accounts linked to scam operations.
Ofcom's Stance
An Ofcom spokesperson commented: “Online fraud is getting increasingly sophisticated and combating it is a priority for Ofcom. We are working at speed to develop new rules for paid-for fraudulent ads on the most widely used social media and search services, which we’ll consult on in July. And platforms must already have measures in place for tackling user-generated fraud.”
