Developer Rovio has said it is now blocking a “disturbing” pro-Israel ad featuring graphic content after a Reuters report highlighted its discovery in Angry Birds and a number of other family orientated games.
According to Reuters, the pro-Israel ad – created by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of an “advocacy drive” amid the continuing Israel-Hamas war – featured images of Hamas militants, rocket attacks, terrified Israeli families, explosions, and blurred graphic footage, culminating in the message, “We will make sure that those who harm us pay a heavy price.”
Speaking to Reuters, an Israeli government official confirmed the ads were part of a $1.5m USD campaign but insisted advertisers had been instructed to block the advert “for people under 18”. Despite these instructions, Reuters said it had documented six cases – in Britain, France, Austria, Germany, and Holland – where the adverts had been served in games for children or families.
In one instance, the advertisement had been seen by a six-year-old boy while playing Angry Birds, and Reuters reports it was also served to users, including children, of a number of other games: Alice’s Mergeland, Stack, Balls’n Ropes, Subway Surfers, and Solitaire: Card Game 2023.