Open Rights Group
@openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org  ·  activity timestamp 6 days ago

Meta's murky ad system uses your personal data to sell adverts 💸

What we know about how ads are targeted isn't consistent. This means advertisers can use proxy data on the DL that can cause discrimination against users.

Read our latest report ⬇️

#StopStalkerAds

https://www.openrightsgroup.org/publications/profiling-by-proxy-how-metas-data-driven-ads-fuel-discrimination/

#meta #adtech #privacy #discrimination #facebook #instagram #threads #ukpolitics #ukpol #surveillancecapitalism #advertising
Open Rights Group
@openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org  ·  activity timestamp 6 days ago

Proxies can be created by training an algorithm with historical data about user activity.

So associated characteristics can stand in for one that an advertiser wants to target.

This can reveal data which is protected by anti-discrimination and data processing laws.

#StopStalkerAds

#meta #adtech #privacy #discrimination #facebook #instagram #threads #ukpolitics #ukpol #surveillancecapitalism #advertising
Open Rights Group
@openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org  ·  activity timestamp 6 days ago

There are many examples of discrimination and harm caused by profiling and ad targeting.

They include:

🔴 Gender discrimination in who sees job ads.
🔴 Racial discrimination in housing and education ads.
🔴 Predatory data collection and targeting by online gambling sites.
🔴 Inappropriate products promoted to under 18s.
🔴 Discriminatory and predatory advertising of credit.

Plus more.

#StopStalkerAds

#meta #adtech #privacy #discrimination #facebook #instagram #threads #ukpolitics #ukpol
Open Rights Group
@openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org  ·  activity timestamp 6 days ago

There are some targeting restrictions on special category adverts, such as political ads and ‘Financial Products and Services’ ads.

But mainstream ads, including gambling ads, have fewer restrictions. This lack of transparency on Meta's Ad Library means discriminatory practices can fly under the radar.

There must be more rigorous levels of transparency so Meta and advertisers can be held to account.

#StopStalkerAds #meta #adtech #privacy #discrimination #facebook #instagram #ukpolitics #ukpol
Open Rights Group
@openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org  ·  activity timestamp 6 days ago

The Meta Pixel makes the situation worse.

The Pixel is embedded in other websites and sends data about their visitors back to Meta to be used for ad targeting.

So people with problematic gambling habits could be flooded with gambling ads.

Find out more ⬇️

#StopStalkerAds

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/feb/08/gambling-firms-secretly-shared-users-data-with-facebook-without-permission

#meta #adtech #privacy #discrimination #facebook #instagram #ukpolitics #ukpol #surveillancecapitalism #gambling #advertising
Chewie
@chewie@mammut.gogreenit.net  ·  activity timestamp 6 days ago
@openrightsgroup It's weird, on YouTube, we are always getting PaddyPower video adverts, yet we've never visited their site and never gamble, so makes no sense, they are just wasting money.
Some videos I watch are about finance, but that's as close as it gets.
Surely YouTube has some legitimate customers for ads that are relevant to what we are watching????

If I was spending money with YouTube for advertising, I would be pissed off.
Open Rights Group
@openrightsgroup@social.openrightsgroup.org  ·  activity timestamp 6 days ago

Your data, your choice ✊

In a recent case against Meta's surveillance advertising model, they conceded that users have the right to object to their personal data being used for targeted ads.

Use our tool to tell Meta #StopStalkerAds ⬇️

https://action.openrightsgroup.org/meta-opt-out

#meta #adtech #privacy #discrimination #facebook #instagram #ukpolitics #ukpol #surveillancecapitalism