(CNN) It's been used to dissect trends in popular culture, wade into political disputes and comment on the fickle nature of human relationships, but the popular "distracted boyfriend" meme is sexist, the Swedish advertising standards watchdog has said.

It found that the widely shared image depicts a woman as a "sex object" and stereotypes men, violating regulations on discrimination in advertisements.

The meme places text over a stock photograph of a man looking at a passing woman, to the shock of his girlfriend.

But its use by Swedish internet provider Bahnhof in a Facebook and Instagram post advertising job vacancies was reported to the watchdog after receiving complaints online.

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