siliconbeat : Facebook lets advertisers exclude targets based on 'ethnic affinity'

Facebook lets advertisers exclude targets based on 'ethnic affinity'

By Levi Sumagaysay / October 28, 2016 at 11:35 AMWith all the information Facebook knows about its users, what it can offer advertisers is unique and largely unprecedented: very specific targeting.It is also allowing advertisers to exclude users by "ethnic affinity," which appears to be against federal laws prohibiting racial discrimination.ProPublica reports that using the social network's self-service ad portal, it was able to buy a housing-related ad that excluded users with African-American, Asian-American and Hispanic "ethnic affinities" in the United States.

Facebook lets advertisers exclude racial groups

Facebook allows advertisers to target or exclude users by race or ethnicity, according to a Pro Publica report.(Photo: Justin Tallis, AFP/Getty Images)SAN FRANCISCO — Facebook advertisers can exclude specific racial and ethnic groups in potential violation of federal anti-discrimination housing laws, according to a Pro Publica report.Using a designation called "Ethnic Affinities," Facebook lets advertisers target and exclude Facebook users.

Facebook enables advertisers to exclude users by 'ethnic affinity'

Since the social network doesn't ask users to racially identify themselves, Facebook collects activity data and then assigns each user an "ethnic affinity."This is basically a preference for stories, events and organizations that coincide with those the social network believes are also held by a certain ethnic group.At this year's South by Southwest, a Facebook entertainment executive and Universal Pictures' EVP of digital marketing held a panel explaining how the studio harnessed the social network's "ethnic affinity" ad targeting tools to show different trailers of the movie Straight Outta Compton to different ethnic groups.

Facebook lets advertisers exclude specific races, target others

A Facebook option allows advertisers to exclude specific groups based on "Ethnic Affinities" — an apparent violation of federal law, according to a Pro Publica report.The global social network allows Facebook ads to both target and omit ad viewers by using a designation determined by Facebook based on a member's likes and dislikes.Pro Publica actually placed a "house for sale" Facebook ad that excluded "Ethnic Affinity: African American (US), Asian American (US) or Hispanic (US - Spanish dominant)."The restrictions on potential house hunters appear to violate the 1968 Fair Housing Act banning any discrimination in ads for sale or rental of a residence.

Facebook reportedly allows advertisers to exclude users by 'ethnic affinity'

Facebook lets advertisers exclude users by "ethnic affinity," according to a new report by ProPublica.Companies buying targeted advertising through Facebook can exclude users who are determined to have an "affinity" for certain ethnic groups.A screenshot of an ad purchased by ProPublica and approved by Facebook shows users excluded by "ethnic affinity" for "African American (US)," "Asian American (US)," and "Hispanic (US - Spanish dominant.)"