Media measurement firm Integral Ad Science has expanded its AI-driven Meta content block list optimisation solution to Threads, giving advertisers more control over where their ads appear.
First launched in 2024, Content Block List allows brands to automatically avoid placing ads next to content they consider unsuitable, based on industry standards and their own preferences.
With this latest update, advertisers can now apply these controls to Threads feed, in addition to Facebook and Instagram Feed and Reels.
The move comes as Threads continues to grow rapidly, surpassing 400 million monthly active users globally in 2025. Key markets include India, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan, with strong engagement also seen across Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines.
Even as platforms emphasise how much content is deemed safe for ads, concerns about what users actually see online are growing.
While Meta’s own brand safety messaging says that “more than 99% of content next to ads in Feed and Reels on Facebook and Instagram is brand safe” over a recent 30‑day window, independent reports and surveys paint a different picture. Industry and civil‑society research in 2025 flagged large increases in user‑reported exposure to harmful content (hate, violent or sexual content), with survey results showing high shares of users witnessing or experiencing such material - these studies argue prevalence is materially higher than platform safety claims imply.
At the centre of IAS’s solution is Multimedia Understanding Model (MUM), which analyses images, audio and text to assess content in detail. This helps advertisers steer clear of risky or inappropriate environments while improving overall campaign performance.
“Our AI-driven, content-level analysis empowers advertisers to drive performance and confidently scale their investments on social platforms with trusted, third-party, independent solutions,” said Lisa Utzschneider, CEO of IAS.
The expansion builds on IAS’s partnership with Meta, which began in 2024 when IAS was selected as the first provider of an independent optimisation solution for its platforms. Since then, IAS has rolled out a range of tools across Meta’s ecosystem, including content block lists, contextual reporting and brand safety measurement.
On Threads, advertisers can create customised block lists tailored to their specific brand requirements, including more nuanced controls for different risk levels. Once activated, these settings are applied automatically across Meta platforms, with hourly updates to keep up with the fast-moving nature of social content.
The rollout reflects a broader push across the industry to integrate AI-driven brand safety and optimisation tools more deeply into social platforms, as advertisers look for greater transparency and control.
