Protestors are vandalising Facebook's ubiquitous apology adverts in London.

Posters have been changed to imply that Facebook makes money from fake news and data misuse.

The ads are part of a global promotional campaign aimed a distancing Facebook from a tsunami of scandals.



LONDON — You've seen the ads everywhere. If they've not infiltrated your TV, they've shadowed your wait at a bus stop, punctuated the pages of your newspaper, or loomed over you from a billboard. Facebook is trying to tell you something.

The company is spending a fortune on the global promotional campaign, aimed squarely at distancing itself from a tsunami of scandals involving fake news, data breaches, and election meddling.

The TV apology ad was recently ridiculed by "Last Week Tonight" host John Oliver, and now, Facebook's posters are being targeted by protestors in London, who are seeking to change the company's messaging.

Protest Pencil, an anonymous street artist, has been posting pictures of the altered posters on their Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts, generating interest in the British press.

On one bus stop post poster, the words "it's a great source of revenue" were added to Facebook's slogan: "Fake news is not our friend."

those honest facebook ads are really getting around... . . . #facebookads #adhack #londonstreets #adtakeover #advertisingshitsinyourhead #acab A post shared by Protest Stencil (@proteststencil) on Aug 15, 2018 at 6:02am PDT Aug 15, 2018 at 6:02am PDT

On another, "it's our business model" was added to the statement: "Data misuse is not our friend."

TFW you realise that *you* are the product that’s on sale... . . . #facebookads #adhack #adtakeover A post shared by Protest Stencil (@proteststencil) on Aug 13, 2018 at 8:36am PDT Aug 13, 2018 at 8:36am PDT

Business Insider has contacted Protest Pencil for comment. We have also asked Facebook if it would like to remark on the vandalised posters.