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Meta Monetized Bangladesh Law Enforcement Facebook Pages

Meta permitted government agencies to generate ad revenue despite a policy strictly prohibiting the practice.

Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Law Enforcement

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Meta permitted government law enforcement agencies to earn ad revenue on its platform despite policies explicitly banning state institutions from its monetization programs. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Meta allowed at least 19 Facebook pages operated by Bangladesh law enforcement agencies to participate in its monetization programs. This activity occurred despite a policy that explicitly renders government institutions ineligible for such revenue generation.

Why it matters

The inclusion of government entities in monetization programs challenges Meta's stated commitment to preventing state-run organizations from profiting off content on its platforms. This issue highlights potential gaps in the company's invite-only system for ad programs.

Investigations identified 19 Bangladeshi law enforcement pages, including the Bangladesh Police and Navy, participating in monetization programs. While the Bangladesh Police page has over 2.7 million followers, the full extent of the revenue generated remains under review.

The players

Meta

Meta is a technology company that operates Facebook and various social media platforms.

Bangladesh Police

The Bangladesh Police is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for maintaining order in Bangladesh.

Dismislab

Dismislab is a research entity that investigates digital content and platform accountability.

The details

Meta manages access to its monetization programs through an invite-only system that failed to exclude government agencies like the Airport Armed Police Battalion and various district police offices. Similar instances of law enforcement page monetization were identified in nations including India, the Philippines, Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Timeline

  1. June 6, 2020: Sherpur district police and the Bangladesh Navy joined the advertising program.

  2. August 31, 2025: Meta launched a new, unified content monetization program.

  3. September 2, 2025: 11 law enforcement pages joined the new monetization program.

  4. August 22, 2026: Narail district police joined the monetization program.

Legal Context

This activity occurs in direct contradiction to Meta's partner-publisher policy, which explicitly disqualifies government entities from monetization. This case follows a pattern of platform oversight failures identified in multiple countries globally regarding the monetization of state-linked accounts.

The monetization of police-operated pages blurs the line between government communication and profit-driven content. Citizens should remain aware that these social media accounts, while official, operate within advertising ecosystems managed by private technology companies.

The takeaway

The presence of state agencies in private advertising programs suggests significant challenges in platform policy enforcement. Users should be discerning when interacting with government content that utilizes algorithmic engagement strategies.

Further reading

Learn more about oversight issues at the Law Enforcement section.

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Should social media companies prohibit government agencies from earning money on their platforms?