Why did it take a lawsuit , multiple investigating , and three years of promises for Facebook to change its ways ?
After an 18 - month court battle and years of fierce criticism , Facebook says it will stop allowing lodging , Job , and credit advertisers to show advertizing to only users of specific raceway , gender , or age groups , the companyannouncedon Tuesday .
Facebook did not do this without putting up a fight . The new policy come in as part of a “ historical ” lawsuit settlement with “ lead polite rights organization ” including American Civil Liberties Union , the National Fair Housing Alliance , and the Communications Workers of America , as Facebook weirdly described it . The social media company will also give less than $ 5 million as part of the settlement , accord to areportin the New York Times .
“ One of our top priorities is protecting multitude from secernment on Facebook , ” chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg said in her fellowship blog post . “ Today , we ’re announce changes in how we care housing , employment and quotation advertizement on our weapons platform . These changes are the result of historical settlement agreements with leading polite right organisation and ongoing stimulus from polite right expert . ”
It ’s a baffling reaction from a society that just spent over a year fighting the lawsuit that in the end be it millions of dollar . Sandberg went on to thank the groups that litigate Facebook for “ showing leadership ” and promised , as is Menlo Park custom , that the company is “ committed to doing more . ”
“ As the internet — and platforms like Facebook — play an increase part in connecting us all to data connect to economical chance , it ’s crucial that micro - aim not be used to take out chemical group that already confront secernment , ” ACLU older staff attorney Galen Sherwin said in a statement . “ We are pleased Facebook has match to take meaningful step to ensure that discriminatory advert practices are not give new life sentence in the digital era , and we expect other technical school ship’s company to come after Facebook ’s lead . ”
The changes to Facebook ’s platform will be carried out by the destruction of 2019 , according to the company . Expect critics and industry perceiver to see intimately , however , because year of promises and investigation have , let ’s say , constrained confidence in Facebook ’s ability to not completely bork thing further .
While Facebook has said it ’s never visualize the variety of discriminatory behaviour critic are worried about , ProPublica found dozens of examples in a different 2017reportand then even more good example in a follow up 2018investigation .
Is today ’s promise to change any different ?
Discrimination
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