Meta Keeps AI Coach-Abuse Videos Up Until Reporters Flag Them

Meta told users that AI-generated videos showing older male coaches with their hands on young female athletes did not violate Facebook's community standards, according to Futurism. In an investigation by reporter Maggie Harrison Dupré, the outlet flagged ten accounts publishing the material; a week later, Facebook told the reporters that eight of the accounts "didn't violate the site's rules, and would not be removed from the platform."

The clips are not subtle. Futurism describes them as "nearly photorealistic" videos set in gyms and dance studios, with the coaches shown to "run their hands over their lower backs and inner thighs" of athletes practicing "gymnastics, ballet, and yoga." All of the subjects shown are women or girls.

After the reporting team contacted Meta's press office, every reported account was removed. The company's statement to Futurism read: "whether it's real or AI-generated, content that depicts abuse or exploitation has no place on our platforms." The initial automated notice to the reporters had told them something different: "We've taken a look and found that the page doesn't go against our Community Standards." One video that surfaced after Meta issued its statement had drawn more than 176,000 views just two days after it was posted. Futurism also reported that after it flagged the originals, Facebook's recommendation algorithm "started serving up many more similar AI videos."

Kim Shore, a gymnast with Gymnasts for Change International, told the outlet the clips qualify as abuse material. "These images sexualize and normalize abusive interactions between coaches and young athletes within a sporting environment where significant power imbalances already exist," she said, warning that "children who are exposed to this content will internalize the message that if something similar is happening to them, they have to endure it because it is normalized." The piece cites a 2021 World Players Association study finding that 13 percent of child athletes experience some kind of sexual abuse during their time in sports.

Four analysts we track in our Who's Who directory had shared the Futurism piece by the time of writing.