Facebook is the master of monetizing our data by showing us targeted ads. However, the company often gets in trouble for the sensitive info it collects — and for the advertisements it allows on its platform. For instance, this week, a new study from the University of Queensland and Monash University revealed that young Facebook users are shown ads for gambling, unhealthy food and alcohol at an alarmingly high rate.

According to the study results, 42 percent of participants between the ages of 16 and 25 were shown ads for alcohol. Meanwhile, 21 percent saw gambling-related ads. Disturbingly, these percentages were much higher for younger users between 16 and 17 years old, with a shocking 93 percent of this test group seeing ads for booze. According to some experts, it’s past time for government regulators to step in and ensure these addictive products aren’t marketed at children anymore.

“Governments need to implement common sense reforms to protect children and young people from being bombarded with digital marketing of alcohol, gambling and unhealthy food,” said Caterina Giorgi, CEO of the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE).

While Facebook has policies in place to prevent this sort of thing from happening, it’s clear that — at best — those rules aren’t working. At worst, the company is willingly turning a blind eye to this issue to profit. Either way, it seems like dramatic reform is needed.

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