Japan Issues Administrative Guidance to Global Tech Giants Over Rising Deepfake Investment Scams
In a coordinated regulatory move, multiple Japanese government agencies—including the National Police Agency, the Financial Services Agency, and the Digital Agency—issued formal administrative guidance to major global social media operators. The directive targets the spread of fraudulent advertisements on social networking platforms, particularly deepfake ads exploiting celebrity likenesses and voices to lure users into investment scams.
The official requests were addressed to executive leadership across major digital platforms, including Google, Meta Platforms, LY Corporation, TikTok Japan, and X.
Key Regulatory Directives
The administrative guidance outlines three primary operational requirements aimed at curbing fraudulent ads:
- Mandatory Advertiser Verification: Platforms must strictly verify advertiser identities through secure electronic methods (e.g., electronic corporate certificates or individual verification). Platforms are required to submit their verification plan to the Digital Agency by October 16, 2026, followed by a detailed compliance report by March 16, 2027.
- Enhanced Ad Transparency: Operators must display verified advertiser details (such as official name and physical location) and explicitly disclose when content is generated using AI tools or why a user is seeing the ad. Action plans and implementation metrics must be submitted to the government following the same reporting timeline.
- Expedited Takedown Measures: Tech firms must promptly evaluate and delete ads violating the Penal Code or the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act upon receiving removal requests from authorities. Companies must document their ad screening guidelines by October 16, 2026, and provide detailed reporting on take-down statistics, response times, and rejection rates by March 16, 2027.
Impacted Platforms
According to official police statistics cited in the document, major social platforms serve as primary entry points for investment scams, with banner and video ads accounting for a significant portion of initial user contacts:
- YouTube: 27.1%
- Instagram: 16.3%
- TikTok: 10.4%
- Facebook: 6.5%
- LINE: 4.8%
- X (formerly Twitter): 2.1%
While the notice constitutes non-binding administrative guidance under Article 2, Item 6 of Japan's Administrative Procedure Act rather than a formal legal penalty, authorities emphasized that the measures are critical to protecting consumer assets and preserving public trust.
Norbert Gehrke
