Thai Cigarette Sellers Use AI Images to Evade Facebook Detection
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The Thai Tobacco Trade Association reported that its members have repeatedly seen Facebook ads for counterfeit cigarettes that use AI-created cartoons, people, or objects instead of actual packs, while keeping the brand names and colours that buyers recognize. When members try to report these ads, the posts do not appear on the sellers' pages because they are run as dark posts, so Facebook often says the pages violate no rules. Association director Thanyassaran Saengthong said members have taken screenshots of the sponsored posts and sent them to the group for verification, confirming the ads are dark-post campaigns designed to evade platform checks. Legitimate retailers complain that even after reporting the pages, Facebook does not act, and the association wants the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society to lead a coordinated response with platforms, develop ad-review standards that cover AI images, cartoons, brand names, colours, text and links, and investigate advertiser accounts, payment routes and delivery chains to dismantle larger networks and stop repeat offenses.
