In the beginning, Facebook was without ads and an enjoyable way to connect and communicate with friends and family.

Shortly after its launch, Facebook began placing ads on its homepage, followed by the creation of sponsored Groups pages for big brands.  In the years that followed, more and more targeted ad campaigns were implemented, culminating in ad placement in Reels in 2021.  It has been replicated on Instagram and other Meta products.  The frequency with which ads appear in Facebook and Instagram Reels has increased to the point where they are appearing as frequently as every 15-30 SECONDS.

The frustration doesn’t end there.

Clicking on ads in an effort to hide them is apparently interpreted by the algorithms as interest in and engagement with the ads.  In most instances, rather than reducing the number and frequency of the ads, it MULTIPLIES AND ACCELERATES them.  On many days one will spend more time hiding them than they spend reading content; the frequency with which they appear in Reels renders watching them a maddeningly lost cause.

We the undersigned, INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATED users of the Facebook and Instagram platforms do hereby call on Meta to take the following steps:

1. Scale back its relentless barrage of unsolicited ads 
2. Give users true control over the content and volume of ads that appear on our feeds.  While we recognize Meta’s right to generate revenue, the sheer volume of ads has become overwhelming.  
3. Recognize that clicking on a reel or advertisement to block it as opposed to clicking on embedded links does not constitute interacting with it, leading to a higher volume and frequency of the undesired content.

It is time for Meta to stop turning everyday social media use into a battle against unwanted advertising and make these platforms enjoyable again.