Facebook bans academics who researched ad transparency and misinformation on Facebook

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/4/22609020/facebook-bans-academic-researchers-ad-transparency-misinformation-nyu-ad-observatory-plug-in

Facebook has banned the personal accounts of academics who researched ad transparency and the spread of misinformation on the social network. Facebook says the group violated its term of service by scraping user data without permission. But the academics say they are being silenced for exposing problems on Facebook’s platform.

The researchers were part of NYU Ad Observatory, a project created to examine the origin and spread of political ads on Facebook. As the group explained in a blog post in May, their aim is to uncover who pays for political ads and how they are being targeted. Such work has important implications for understanding the spread of disinformation on Facebook, as the company does not fact-check political ads.

To help their work, the researchers created a browser plug-in called Ad Observer, which automatically collects data on what political ads users are being shown and why those ads are being targeted to them. As per its website, the plug-in does not collect any personally-identifying information, including users’ name, Facebook ID number, or friend list.

Data collected by Ad Observer is then made publicly available to researchers and journalists who use the information to reveal trends and problems on Facebook’s platform. Stories directly resulting from this work include Facebook’s failure to disclose who pays for some political ads, and how far-right misinformation is more engaging than misinformation from center or left sources.

*snip*

[SheltieLover]

1. K&R!

[marble falls]

2. They don't mind exposing shit, they only mind digging for the proof. Just another reason ...

... to loathe all those self entitled little social misfits over at Facebook.

Since I've started using Facebook Container, I've been unpleasantly surprised haw many websites FB suck information from, all without my knowledge. If my information is so valuable to FB in spite of the fact I do not have a functioning FB page, how are they not in violation of my privacy? If it's worth so much to them, why don't I get a royalty check from them?

[Reader Rabbit]

3. Imma go post this to my FB page.

Let's see if they ban me and all my friends who share it.