Tag Archives: ads

Examining Gender Bias in Facebook’s Job Ads: Insights from France’s Equality Monitoring Regulations

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France’s equality regulator has determined that Facebook’s job advertising algorithm is discriminatory towards women, following an investigation that revealed a bias in job ads for mechanics favoring men, while ads for kindergarten teaching positions were predominantly shown to women.

The watchdog group, Défenseur des Droits, contended that Facebook’s targeted job ad system discriminates based on gender, which constitutes indirect discrimination. The regulator advised Facebook and its parent company, Meta, to implement measures to eliminate discriminatory practices in advertising and granted the company three months to inform French authorities of its actions.

According to the regulator’s ruling, “The system implemented for distributing job listings treats Facebook users differently based on their gender, thereby resulting in indirect gender discrimination.”

This ruling followed an initiative from Global Witness, a campaign organization focused on examining the influence of major tech firms on human rights, which posted advertisements on Facebook that included links to various job opportunities across countries like France, the UK, Ireland, and South Africa.

The findings revealed that, notably in France, 90% of individuals seeing ads for mechanic positions were men, whereas the same percentage of those encountering kindergarten teacher ads were women. Additionally, 80% of viewers for psychologist job ads were women, while 70% of those seeing pilot job ads were men.

Global Witness, along with French women’s rights organizations La Fondation des Femmes and Femme Ingénue, which had reached out to the rights group, praised the ruling.

In a joint statement, they remarked, “This seems to be the first instance where a European regulator has ruled that a social media platform’s algorithms exhibit gender discrimination, marking significant progress in holding these platforms accountable under existing legislation.”

“This decision conveys a powerful message to all digital platforms that they will be held responsible for such biases,” stated attorney Josephine Sheffet, representing the plaintiffs. “This legal principle establishes a crucial precedent for future legal actions.”

Mr. Mehta disputed the ruling, with a spokesperson stating: “We disagree with this decision and are exploring our options.”

Meta had agreed to modify Facebook’s algorithms in 2022 after allegations from the U.S. Department of Justice suggested that the platform’s housing advertising system discriminated against users based on criteria like race, religion, and gender.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Outrage from Parents: Meta Features Female Students’ Photos in Ads Aimed at Men

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Meta has sparked controversy by utilizing a female student’s back-to-school photo to market one of its social media platforms to a 37-year-old man, a decision deemed “outrageous” and “upsetting.”

The man is pitted against Mark Zuckerberg’s Elon Musk’s X, receiving a post urging him to “get the thread.”

Meta employed the child’s images after they were shared on Instagram by their parents as school started back up. The parents were unaware that the meta setting allowed for this usage. One mother noted her account was private, yet the posts were automatically visible in public threads. Another mother mentioned that she posted the photo on her public Instagram account. Stranger interactions highlighted their child’s posts as “suggested threads.”

The recipient conveyed to the Guardian that the post felt “deliberately provocative and ultimately exploitative of the children and families involved.”

The father of the13-year-old girl featured in the post expressed that it was “absolutely outrageous.” All images portrayed female students in short skirts, showcasing bare legs or stockings.

“Discovering her image used by such a large company in a context that felt sexualized for product promotion made me feel quite sick,” he stated.

Meta, a massive company valued at £1.5TN, based in Menlo Park, California, defended its actions, stating the images did not breach their policies. They encouraged users to explore the thread by highlighting public posts that adhere to community standards and recommended guidelines. Although their system does not recommend threads shared by teenagers, these posts were generated from adult accounts that permitted public viewing.

The man who received the post noted that he was solely sent promotional content featuring female students, with no representation of boys in school uniforms, which he felt added a “sexualization aspect.”

One mother of a 15-year-old said the images were used in a promotional post featuring a prominent “thread” button. “It was a photo of my daughter heading to school. I never anticipated Instagram would utilize it for promotion. I absolutely hate it. She’s a minor,” she lamented.

She firmly rejected any agreement, stating, “It wasn’t for the money of the world. [its platform].”

Her Instagram account, typically modest with 267 followers, saw her child’s post attract nearly 7,000 viewers.

Another mother whose 13-year-old child’s photo was similarly featured remarked:

Meta categorized such posts as “recommended tools,” insisting that public posts should serve this function.

A corporate representative stated, “The shared images do not violate our policy and are postings from schools published by parents. There are systems in place to prevent teenagers from recommending shared threads.”

The 37-year-old London Instagram user who received the post requested to remain anonymous.

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He noted he had not liked or posted similar images prior to receiving photos of the schoolgirl.

“To me, this feels intentionally provocative, introducing trendy and popular content, ultimately exploiting the children and families involved and jeopardizing online safety.”

“We advocate for children’s rights online,” said Beeban Kidron, a crossbench peer and advocate.

“Meta prioritizes corporate growth over children’s rights to privacy, which is the only reason we can fathom for sending a photograph of a female student to a 37-year-old man.”

She urged the Regulator of Communications to consider implementing measures this summer to prevent unidentified adults from contacting children, stating that “companies should not have the right to feed sensitive content to children.”

Ofcom’s illegal harm initiatives aim to combat online grooming, emphasizing that “Your child’s profile, location, and connections should not be visible to others.”

Meta’s system suggests that if a thread profile is public, posts from an adult profile could be recommended on Facebook or Instagram, allowing others to “discover, follow, and interact with you.” Users can turn this off or switch a thread profile to private.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Meta Approves Crowdfunding Ads for IDF Drones and Unveils Consumer Watchdog Initiative

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Meta serves ads on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads from pro-Israel organizations soliciting funds for military assets, including drones and tactical gear for Israeli Defense Forces battalions.

“We are Sheikh’s sniper team stationed in Gaza. We require a tripod to fulfill our mission at Jabaria,” states one Facebook ad that was first posted on June 11 and remains active as of July 17.

These sponsored advertisements were initially uncovered and reported to Meta by Ekō, a global consumer watchdog. They have identified at least 117 ads beginning in March 2025 that specifically requested donations for IDF military equipment. This marks the second instance an organization has highlighted an ad by the same publisher to Meta. In a prior assessment from December 2024, Ekō flagged 98 ads, urging the tech giant to take action against many of them. Nonetheless, the company has largely permitted publishers to initiate new campaigns with similar ads since then. The IDF itself has not made any public appeals for funding.

“This proves that Meta essentially accepts funding from anyone,” remarked Maen Hamad, a campaigner with Goku. “There appears to be minimal balance in the oversight that platforms are supposed to provide. If that’s the case, those measures are only implemented post-factum.”

In response, Ryan Daniels, a spokesperson for the social media company, stated that Meta has reviewed and eliminated ads violating company policy after receiving inquiries. Any advertisement related to social issues, elections, or politics must undergo an approval process and contain a disclaimer disclosing advertising payments, according to the company. These particular ads, however, did not meet that criterion.

These ads garnered at least 76,000 impressions, a metric indicating the number of times an ad is shown to users solely within the EU and the UK. The group was unable to ascertain the number of impressions in the US.

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At least 97 recent advertisements are soliciting donations for specific models of private drones, many of which remain operational. A new investigation by +972 Magazine reveals that these drones are utilized by Israeli combat units to drop explosives on Palestinians. Although these quadcopters can be found on Amazon, IDF units often modify civilian drones sourced via Facebook groups, primarily produced by a Chinese company called Autel, at a fraction of the cost of military-grade drones. Several IDF soldiers spoke to +972 anonymously.

“Most of our drones are damaged and in disrepair. We have no replacements.” Another ad states. “Donate now. Every second counts and every drone can save lives.”

It remains unclear if these combat units leverage the funds received from these specific ads to purchase drones, but soldiers informed +972 that they have received donations, fundraisers, and inexpensive drones sourced through Facebook groups, manufactured by Autel.

Funding advertisements from Vaad Hatzedaka, one of the publishers flagged by Ekō, link to a donation webpage detailing the equipment being funded, which includes two Autel drones. Vaad Hatzedaka, a nonprofit organization, has set a fundraising target of $300,000 and has already secured over $250,000 for these drones and other assistance for various IDF units, according to the donation page. The second publisher, Mayer Malik, is an Israel-based singer-songwriter who has run ads directing to a landing page offering sponsorship avenues for various tactical gear, raising more than $2.2 million in total donations for the IDF.

Meta’s advertising policy strictly prohibits the promotion of donation requests for “firearms, firearm parts, ammunition, explosives, or lethal enhancements,” with limited exceptions. Meta has removed some recent ads and associated funding requests for military resources that were flagged earlier, primarily due to the absence of necessary disclaimers accompanying the ads. Social issues, elections, or political ads are subject to disclose requirements as stated in Meta’s Advertising Library.

According to Ekō, these advertisements may also breach certain provisions of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). Under the DSA, platforms like Meta are required to eliminate content that contravenes national or EU legislation. In France and the UK, the laws restrict how charities can fund and the means by which they can support foreign military entities. For instance, in January 2025, the Charity Commissioner in the UK issued an official warning to a London charity that raised funds for IDF soldiers, stating that it was “neither legal nor acceptable.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

TikTok ads depict apps as unstoppable forces, forever beyond our reach

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Emotional ads featuring Katie, a young woman diagnosed with a kidney disease at age 19, have been running on Facebook and Instagram for the past month.

She credits a stranger’s kidney with saving her life, highlighting the impact Tiktok has had on people’s lives. The app is positioning itself as a savior and small business supporter amidst concerns about Chinese ownership.

Despite federal laws requiring Tiktok to sell to non-Chinese owners by April 5, the company is pushing back with a new ad campaign emphasizing its role in American lives and businesses.

Tiktok’s marketing efforts have ramped up in recent months, with the app spending millions on ads and working to reassure creators about its future in the US.

In response to legal challenges threatening its existence, Tiktok has dramatically increased its advertising spending and engagement with policymakers.

Experts and creators alike are watching Tiktok’s moves closely as the app navigates uncertain regulatory waters while continuing to operate and advertise in the US.

Tiktok’s future remains uncertain as it faces pressure to sell to non-Chinese owners amidst concerns about data security and China’s influence.

The company is making efforts to reassure users and advertisers while also engaging with policymakers to shape its fate.

Tiktok is positioning itself as a key player in the digital advertising space, with plans to participate in major industry events and continue engaging with creators and brands.

While Tiktok faces uncertainty about its future, the company remains focused on supporting small businesses and engaging with policymakers to shape its fate.

Tiktok’s ad blitz and engagement with policymakers reflect the company’s efforts to address concerns and shape its future in the US market.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Google Edits AI Super Bowl Ads featuring Inaccurate Information

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Google had to edit an ad for its AI tool Gemini after discovering it contained false information about Gouda cheese, just before it was set to air during the Super Bowl.

Local ads showcasing how AI is used in businesses featured Gemini’s capabilities in helping Wisconsin cheesemongers write product descriptions and track global cheese consumption.

However, a blogger claimed the statistics were “AI hallucinations” and “clearly false”. More reliable data suggests that Dutch cheese may be less popular than cheddar or mozzarella.

Blogger Nate Hake added, “I found this example of AI errors in 20 minutes. I attempted fact checks during the Super Bowl ad.”

Replying, Google executive Jerry Dischler clarified that the AI systems do not invent false information but sometimes pull honest data from websites like Gemini. He emphasized, “Gemini is linked to the web, showing results and references. In this case, multiple sites have the 50-60% stats.”

Google stated they would correct the ads to fix the error after speaking with the cheesemonger in the ad and adjusting the product descriptions on Gemini as per his suggestion.

Google’s AI tools have previously faced criticism for errors and questionable advice. Last year, the AI’s Search feature drew backlash for advising users to use “non-toxic adhesives” to improve cheese sticks, and Gemini’s image generation tool sparked controversy by depicting historical figures in a questionable manner.

The images provoked negative reactions, including from Elon Musk, questioning the impact of libertarians and Stalin. The Gemini Chatbot also faced criticism for its responses in these situations.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk’s Pro-Trump Backers Invest Millions in Facebook Ads for X: Report

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Elon Musk’s Mr. Pack spends significantly more on advertising on Facebook and YouTube compared to Musk’s own social network, X.

America Pac allocated $201,000 for running numerous ads on X (formerly Twitter) in the past three months. However, the organization spent $3 million on thousands of ads on Facebook and Instagram over a similar timeframe. Musk established the pro-Donald Trump pack in July and provided it with around $75 million, as per filings with the Federal Election Commission.

Based on political advertising disclosures, America Pac invested over $166,000 on 59 ads on X from July 8 to October 1. wired. After Musk assumed control of Pac’s @America handle on October 7, the company spent approximately $34,000 on X ads. bloomberg Reported. These ads were targeted at various battleground states, with a focus on Pennsylvania, generating about 32 million impressions according to Wired.

Contrasting these figures with America Pac’s ad purchases on Facebook, the organization spent over $3 million on 1,910 ads during a 90-day period from July 22 to October 19, some of which were also duplicated on Instagram, as per Meta’s ad library. The ads targeted users in states like North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada, Wisconsin, Georgia, and Arizona.

Around 12 ads from America Pac received over 1 million impressions, while others garnered hundreds of thousands. The Meta ad library doesn’t provide total impressions for individual advertisers, making direct comparisons with X ads more challenging.

Musk’s Pack also heavily invested in Google, particularly YouTube. According to the Google Ads Transparency Center, America Pac spent $1.5 million on 251 ads with Google and its subsidiaries since early July, which is ten times higher than what was spent on X. A significant portion of the ads were video advertisements, primarily targeting Georgia, as revealed in Google’s disclosure.

With over 200 million followers on X, Musk has a massive audience reach without incurring costs. Musk frequently retweets America Pack’s content, despite Pac having fewer than 7,000 followers.

The increase in Facebook spending signifies Musk’s shifting geographic focus. Audience data from Meta’s ad library indicated that a large percentage of America Pac’s ads in the past 90 days targeted North Carolina. However, in the recent seven days, over 25% of the ads focused on Pennsylvania, where Musk has been actively campaigning in person.

Facebook’s targeting options enable advertisers to reach specific audiences based on interests. America Pac tailored its ads to users intrigued by various subjects like Kelsey Grammer, trophy hunting, Kid Rock, the Boy Scouts of America, and Joe Rogan, among others.

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Since Musk acquired Twitter and rebranded it as X in 2022, he has highlighted its advertising capabilities and app store performance. Even in 2023, advertising constituted 70-75% of X’s total revenue. bloomberg This trend persisted despite Musk introducing Twitter Blue, a subscription product. X’s revenue in 2023 amounted to $2.5 billion, nearly half of the previous year, primarily due to reduced advertising expenditure.

Musk is also focusing on organizing in-person events. He pledged to donate $1 million per day until the election to registered voters supporting America Pac’s petition. Musk has been awarding giant novelty checks at rallies in Pennsylvania over the recent days.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Mr. Sunak in Deepfake Video Ads on Facebook Issuing Election AI Warning

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According to a study, more than 100 deepfake video ads impersonating Rishi Sunak were paid to promote on Facebook in the last month alone. This study warns of the risks posed by AI ahead of the general election.

The ads may have reached up to 400,000 people, despite potentially violating some of Facebook’s policies. It was the first time a prime minister’s image had been systematically defaced all at once.

Over £12,929 was spent on 143 ads from 23 countries, including the US, Turkey, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

One ad includes a breaking news story in which BBC newsreader Sarah Campbell falsely claims that a scandal has broken out centering on Mr. Sunak. It also includes a fake video that appears to be reading out loud.

The article falsely claims that Elon Musk has launched an application that can “collect” stock market trades and suggests the government should test the application. It includes a fabricated clip of Mr. Sunak saying he has made the decision.

The clip leads to a fake BBC news page promoting fraudulent investments.

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The scheme was carried out by Fenimore Harper, the communications company founded by Marcus Beard, a former Downing Street official who was the number 10 head of counter-conspiracy theory during the coronavirus crisis. He warned that this ad, which shows a change in the quality of fakes, shows that this year’s election is at risk of being manipulated by a large amount of high-quality falsehoods generated by AI.

“With the advent of cheap and easy-to-use voice and facial cloning, little knowledge or expertise is required to use a person’s likeness for malicious purposes.”

“Unfortunately, this problem is exacerbated by lax moderation policies for paid ads. These ads violate several of Facebook’s advertising policies. However, few of the ads we found were removed. There was very little.”

Meta, the company that owns Facebook, has been contacted for comment.

A UK government spokesperson said: “We work widely across government, through the Democracy Defense Task Force and dedicated government teams, to ensure we respond quickly to any threats to democratic processes.”

“Our online safety laws go further by creating new requirements for social platforms to quickly remove illegal misinformation and disinformation – even if it is generated by AI – as it becomes aware of it.”

A BBC spokesperson said: “In a world where disinformation is on the rise, we urge everyone to ensure they get their news from trusted sources. We are committed to tackling the growing threat of disinformation. In 2023, we launched BBC Verify to investigate, fact-check, verify video, counter disinformation, analyze data and explain complex stories using a range of forensic and open source intelligence (OSINT) tools. We invest in a highly specialized team with

“We build trust with our viewers by showing them how BBC journalists know the information they report and explaining how to spot fake and deepfake content. When we become aware of fake content, we take swift action.”

Regulators are concerned that time is running out to enact sweeping changes to ensure Britain’s electoral system is ready for advances in artificial intelligence before the next general election, expected to be held in November.

The government continues to consult with regulators, including the Electoral Commission, and under legislation from 2022 there will be new requirements for digital campaign materials to include ‘imprints’, allowing voters to control who spends on advertising. This will ensure that you know who has paid and who is participating in your ads. To influence them.

Source: www.theguardian.com