Consumer champion Martin Lewis has issued a direct challenge to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, demanding tougher government action against the scourge of online scam advertisements plaguing major social media platforms.
A "Cesspit" of Fraud
In a powerful intervention on ITV, the founder of MoneySavingExpert.com described the current landscape as a "cesspit of social media and big tech" that urgently needs cleaning. He questioned why victims of financial fraud do not receive the same level of protection as those affected by other forms of online harm.
Lewis pointedly referenced a recent statement by the Prime Minister concerning the AI chatbot Grok on platform X. "To hear the Prime Minister say, 'If X cannot control Grok we will and we'll do it fast because if you profit from harm and abuse you lose the right to self-regulate'," Lewis said. "Well, the hundreds of thousands of victims of scam ads... for some reason they don't get protected."
Tech Giants Accused of Profiting from Scams
The financial journalist did not limit his criticism to one company. He explicitly named Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, as the "worst" offender, and also cited Google as part of the problem. Lewis accused these corporations of knowingly publishing fraudulent advertisements.
"These companies literally know that they're making billions of pounds a year from publishing these scams," he asserted. He urged the government to match its strong rhetoric on online safety with concrete action for all victims, stating: "If you're going to do sound bites of generic harm and abuse, then do it for all the victims."
Broader Context of Social Media Regulation
This call for action comes amid reports that Sir Keir Starmer is considering a potential ban on social media use for under-16s in the UK. The Prime Minister is said to be closely monitoring Australia's recent crackdown on the sector.
Australia's new social media regulations, which came into force on 10 December, aim to reduce the negative impact of platform design features that encourage excessive screen time and expose young people to harmful content.
Lewis's challenge places the specific and devastating issue of financial scam advertisements firmly on the new government's agenda, testing its commitment to holding powerful technology firms accountable for the harm facilitated on their sites.
