Why can “Do you have acne?” cause a problem in an ad?
The short answer
Meta’s advertising standards prohibit asserting or implying personal attributes of the audience. Here, the question sounds as though the advertiser knows something about the person’s condition. Adding a question mark does not remove that implication.
Source partly reviewed — details
What this answer is based onWhat to do
Start with the service: “Skincare consultations. Discuss your routine and the treatments available at our studio.” This illustrates a different way to address the reader, rather than approval of the entire ad.
- Highlight phrases that assign a diagnosis, condition or personal problem to the reader.
- Describe the service instead: what a consultation involves, who provides it and how to book.
- Read the image text, subtitles and landing page too. Check that the same problematic wording has not been left there.
The situation
A skincare studio runs an ad: “Do you have acne and feel embarrassed going out without make-up? Book with us.” The writer wants to connect with a concern, but the copy attributes a skin condition and an emotional response to the reader.
The situation and an improvement
“Do you have acne? Embarrassed to go out without make-up?”
“Skincare consultations. Review your routine and learn about treatments available at our studio.”
One more example
An ad assumes the reader is in debt
A consultant runs an ad: “Drowning in debt and hiding it from your family? We can help.” They want to sound understanding, but the text already attributes financial difficulties and a family situation to the reader.
What to do
Describe the service without making assumptions about the reader: “Personal budgeting consultation: review your expenses and make a payment plan.” Use that wording only for a service you actually provide. This addresses the specific phrasing; separate Meta requirements for financial advertising are not covered in this example.
What this answer is based on
Meta Advertising Standards — Privacy Violations and Personal Attributestransparency.meta.comOnly a source excerpt was availableReview details
Source reviewed:
We could read only an excerpt of the official page in search results. The full conditions and exceptions have not yet been checked.
Reviewed clause: ads must not assert or imply personal attributes of the person seeing them.
Include the guide link, language and wording that needs checking. Add an official source link if you have one. Do not send passwords, login codes or photos of identity documents.
Examples are made up to explain the guidance. Meta decides individual account and content cases.
Sources and related topicsPolicy Graph · Demo in development