Meta and Manus: Rapid Gains from AI Under Investigation

Manus and Its Promises of Quick Earnings via AI

Manus, an artificial intelligence company acquired by Meta for the staggering sum of $2 billion last year, is at the center of a controversy. The company launched an advertising campaign touting the possibility of generating quick and easy income through its AI tools. The principle is simple: identify local businesses without a website or with a mediocre site, use AI to create a website, and then sell this service.

As part of this strategy, Manus has paid content creators to promote its products on platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. These creators developed dedicated accounts to promote Manus, often without disclosing their ties to the company. Following an investigation by The Verge, several TikTok accounts were removed.

The advertisements released by Manus were anything but subtle. One video, published by "Manus AI by Meta," presented the tool as an "easy side job" promising up to $5,000 per month with less than 10 minutes of work. The young person in the video states, "There are literally no limits." However, these promises seem to depend on the number of businesses willing to purchase an AI-generated website.

A Controversial Promotion Campaign

The creators' accounts, while filled with Manus content, did not clearly mention their affiliation with the company. Some creators even used vague terms like "building with Manus" in their bios. An investigation revealed that some of them were identified on LinkedIn as contractors working for Manus.

A spokesperson for Manus, Ronghui Li, confirmed that the company collaborates with third-party agencies for these creator programs. Li stated that Manus sometimes licenses certain creator videos as formal advertisements on the platforms, where they are published with the usual ad labeling. However, Manus declined to comment on Meta's role in this campaign and whether it complied with the platforms' disclosure policies.

On TikTok and Instagram, a network of accounts was posting nearly identical Manus content, including "vibe-coded" applications. These accounts, often managed by young creators, promised quick earnings and presented challenges like "earning [thousands of dollars] without speaking." Most posts had little notable engagement, although some went viral with tens of thousands of likes, comments, and shares. Most accounts were only a few months old and displayed only Manus-related content.

A LinkedIn profile indicated that Manus had hired someone in January as a contractual "viral growth" expert to lead a team of 10 to 20 content creators. This person was responsible for applying "strict brand guidelines and quality standards," guiding creators on content specific to their persona, and organizing coaching sessions to train creators to go viral.

Platform Reactions and Legal Implications

Meta, YouTube, and TikTok require creators to clearly disclose paid promotions. Several experts have pointed out that failing to comply with these rules could violate the law in certain jurisdictions. TikTok has already taken action by removing several videos and accounts linked to Manus. Li asserted that the responsibility for disclosure in creators' posts lies with the creators themselves and that Manus is now reviewing specific accounts and posts in question.

Experts emphasized that claims of earnings are "riskier" than omissions of disclosure, given the strict rules on consumer deception in the UK. British regulators are taking a firm stance on undisclosed business relationships in influencer marketing, requiring that incentivized content be clearly labeled as advertising.

Meta did not respond to multiple requests for comment asking if it was aware of the program and whether the campaign adhered to its advertising policies. TikTok declined to comment officially, but since I reached out, most of the Manus promotional videos appear to have been removed, and many accounts that posted them seem to have been banned. YouTube did not respond to a request for comment.

Li stated that the company does not "endorse exaggerated or misleading earnings claims" and that it is reviewing the content I reported. Li did not specify whether this review pertained to the program as a whole. Li also did not respond to my specific question about the evidence, if any, that Manus had to support the earnings claims made in the videos.

Meta, which has integrated Manus, may be forced to reconsider this agreement after Chinese regulators blocked the acquisition. The company claims to comply with the laws and hopes to find a solution with the Chinese authorities.