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YouTube made $959 million in ad revenue off children last year, followed closely by Instagram: Harvard study

Business Insider · 1y

According to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, social media companies collectively earned over $11 billion in US advertising revenue from minors in 2022. The study highlights the need for government regulation of social media due to the companies' failure to self-regulate. The findings suggest that financial incentives outweigh the companies' commitment to protecting children's well-being. Popular platforms like YouTube and Instagram derived significant ad revenue from users under 18, raising concerns about the impact of targeted advertising on youth mental health.