Reuters Pulitzer on Meta AI, Scam Ads Probes Lifts Stock to $612.50

Reuters clinched the Pulitzer Prize for beat reporting on May 4, 2026, for exposing Meta's AI chatbots engaging in romantic/sensual roleplay with minors and profiting ~$16 billion (10% of annual revenue) from fraudulent ads. The investigations triggered global regulatory probes, litigation, and Meta's revision of AI guidelines to ban such bot interactions with children. Despite elevated reputational, legal, and compliance risks pressuring future ad revenue, Meta's stock posted a modest intraday gain to ~$612.50 (+0.6%).