The Facebook Ads Teens Aren't Supposed To See

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The Facebook Ads Teens Aren't Supposed To See

Posted by samzenpus on Sunday March 2, 2014 @03:32AM from the won't-somebody-please-think-of-the-children? dept.

schwit1 writes in with this story about Facbook's questionable ads including webcam modeling and diet drugs. "Sophie Bean, 14, of Sequim, Wash., said she was thought she was 'liking' a Facebook ad related to fashion modeling. Instead, it promoted a Facebook page that recruited adult webcam models. 'I just thought it was for modeling, and I'm interested in that, and I thought it would help me out,' Sophie said. Sophie wasn't the only teen connecting with the page, which Facebook statistics show is most popular with users 13 to 17. Clicking on it didn't pull the teens into nude webcam modeling, but did mean they would receive the page's updates and could be mentioned in future versions of the ad."

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Good example by StripedCow · 2014-03-02 03:43 · Score: 5, Insightful

This clearly demonstrates that "you" are the product!

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If Pandora's box is destined to be opened, *I* want to be the one to open it.
multiple levels of scaryness by Anonymous Coward · 2014-03-02 03:49 · Score: 3, Insightful

said she was thought she was 'liking' a Facebook ad related to fashion modeling.
Wow... I understand she's only 14 and all, but we really need to start making sure kids understand how the internet works, and that every single thing they do is data-mined and used to monitize them... and not for their benefit! That they should NEVER "like" a facebook ad, and even better, should only be online using adblock.
It's scary that someone who's 14 is unaware of how to protect themselves online, and it's scary that we're not as a society teaching them this, just like we teach them reading, writing, math, history, civil rights, and balancing a budget. Knowing how to protect yourself in the digital world is now just as important as knowing how to protect yourself in the real world.
1. Re:multiple levels of scaryness by morari · 2014-03-02 04:12 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  [...] just like we teach them reading, writing, math, history, civil rights, and balancing a budget.
  Actually, I don't believe that we tend to teach them any of those things either.
  
  --
  "He who can destroy a thing, controls a thing." --Paul Atreides, Dune
2. Re:multiple levels of scaryness by Anonymous Coward · 2014-03-02 04:46 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  Wow... I understand she's only 14 and all, but we really need to start making sure kids understand how the internet works
  I'm not going to argue against this because it is clearly a good idea to teach your children how to take care of themselves and avoid trouble.
  But I do feel that the way the laws regarding advertising like this isn't applied in a way that is equal to everyone.
  If a large company were to manually target a 14 year old for nude modelling that would be considered to be a large criminal network and highly illegal.
  If an individual were to manually target a 14 year old for nude modelling he/she would be considered a pedophile.
  If an individual were through automation targeting a 14 year old for nude modelling it could be taken into consideration that it wasn't intentional but even if he/she isn't considered a pedophile he/she will never get a proper work again and will have a hard time if moving to a community with children in it.
  Why is it that it is suddenly OK just because it is an automated service from a large company. Does responsibility go out the window just because you let a computer do it instead of doing it manually?
  For industrial machinery the developer is to some extent responsible if people get hurt, that is one reason development of them is expensive.
  I feel that it is a bit strange that one can avoid the law by automating a task. It might not be possible to prove intention but Facebook has the resources to at least try to figure out that this kind of thing could happen and take precautions to prevent it.
  If they can't reasonably prevent certain ads to be shown for minors then they could at least avoid selling advertising space to services that isn't suitable for many of their users.
  Yes, it will cut into their profits. Good, not everything should be profitable.
3. Re:multiple levels of scaryness by jd2112 · 2014-03-02 05:08 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  Not just the Internet. But that guy with the fedora, mink coat and lots of bling.
  On one hand he's using Fedora. A Linux user can't be that bad. But on the other hand he's using Bing, there's just no excuse for that.
  
  --
  Any insufficiently advanced magic is indistinguishable from technology.
Re:News at 11 by Anonymous Coward · 2014-03-02 03:59 · Score: 3, Funny

Stupid American brat clicks on Facebook ad she doesn't like.
Er, no, she did "like" it, that's the point. However, I don't know if she, like, "like" liked it or not.
Re:Adblock! by Zero__Kelvin · 2014-03-02 04:01 · Score: 4, Interesting

Not today you don't. If you decide to leave today you will not be allowed to do so for a couple of weeks. Facebook will keep your account active for two weeks after you request it be deleted. Just an FYI ...

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Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
So desperate already? by ericloewe · 2014-03-02 04:13 · Score: 4, Insightful

Typically, porn-related ads are a sign of a desperate website.
1. Re:So desperate already? by Anonymous Coward · 2014-03-02 05:19 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Creating an advert that takes advantage of the Facebook API, and than buying screen time on Facebook does not involve human interaction of any kind on Facebook's part.
  yes, clearly it is a brilliant idea to take that into consideration and remove all responsibility from everyone that automates their work in the interest of higher profit margins.
Good Grief by Frosty+Piss · 2014-03-02 04:15 · Score: 4, Interesting

This clearly demonstrates that "you" are the product!
Yes, yes, yes... We know this already. So much so, in fact it's now an official Slashdot meme.
But of course we are intelligent educated adults with good sense, so we understand this and know how to avoid being sucked in, right?
The case in point demonstrates at least (but probably more) two things: One, children (the story is about a 13 year old) are not generally as "worldly wise" as us intelligent educated adults with good sense, and that Facebook is facilitating a commercial activity that potentially exploits vulnerable people, some of whom are minors.
Shocking? Perhaps, but this is just one that slipped through to be discovered. Of course we are the product, and being the product, it goes without saying that we will be exploited while using Facebook. Or *any* "social media" including Slashdot
This just shows how low things have sunk, something that should have been expected.
There's nothing wrong with "erotica" and indeed there are many who think that there is nothing wrong with children discovering "erotica", but there are limitations, exploiting vulnerable woman (and men) is questionable, and a promotional system that allows for the exploitation of children is certainly well "across the line".
Facebook is a big machine, perhaps they were not aware of this "problem" customer. They should at least be afforded the opportunity to take care of this and perhaps close the hole.
But yes, I think we already know that we are Facebook's "product".

--
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
1. Re:Good Grief by noh8rz10 · 2014-03-02 04:42 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  There's nothing wrong with "erotica"
  
  Waldorf: "There's nothing like a good erotic webcam show."
  Statler: "And that was nothing like a good erotic webcam show!"
Re:Adblock! by Xicor · 2014-03-02 04:17 · Score: 3, Interesting

lol... i block more adds on facebook with adblock plus than i do on porn sites and malware sites.
Wait by Charliemopps · 2014-03-02 04:30 · Score: 4, Funny

Wait... there are still people under the age of 35 on facebook?
Seems more like sleazy advertisers by Overzeetop · 2014-03-02 04:37 · Score: 4, Insightful

I mean - I get it, we should all be aware on line. But it's not the end of the world to "like" a product manufacturer or service provider. It can be a symbiotic relationship - I like your stuff and want to keep abreast of what you're doing so I "like" your page and get updates. That might be the release of a new octocopter, or a new show opening at Disney World, or casting dates for an indie film, or a coupon for a new makeup product.
This sounds more like false advertising from a sleazy online porn shop. So, yes, we should all be aware; but we shouldn't be paranoid.And, yes, I think Facebook has a role/responsibility in vetting their advertisers and leveraging their data for appropriate marketing targets.

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Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
I'm SHOCKED! by Chelloveck · 2014-03-02 04:43 · Score: 3, Funny

This is awful! I'm shocked! SHOCKED, I tell you! I'm going to write to my congressman and tell him... Tell him... Um...
Wait, what exactly am I supposed to be outraged about here?

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Chelloveck
I give up on debugging. From now on, SIGSEGV is a feature.
Re:I'm from Portugal by Daniel+Dvorkin · 2014-03-02 05:02 · Score: 3, Insightful

I'm not sure people from most other countries understand the "think of the CHIIIIILDREN!" hysteria that grips the Anglophone world on a regular basis. We seem to have developed this bizarre idea that people are supposed to be completely sheltered from the world until they reach the age of legal adulthood ... at which point they're supposed to know in every particular how to deal with the responsibility that entails.

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The correlation between ignorance of statistics and using "correlation is not causation" as an argument is close to 1.
Re:Adblock! by GNious · 2014-03-02 05:12 · Score: 5, Informative

I have AdBlock set to block a couple of facebook domains wholesale ... that sped up my browser quite noticeably.
Re: Be that as it may... by noh8rz10 · 2014-03-02 06:04 · Score: 4, Interesting

First off it's like 0.0001% of girls. Second off models have a half life of 19mo. Third what go said about uniqueness is true, but if you watch Top Model and other shows you see the most defining trait is being rail thin. If you're super skinny and not deformed and can do the pout face (blue steel!) then they can paint you with makeup and light you well and shoot with pro cameras and pro photographers, and you will look like a model.
Re:News at 11 by jopsen · 2014-03-02 07:04 · Score: 3, Insightful

Stupid American brat clicks on Facebook ad she doesn't like. The world is shocked.
No... the news will be parent sues ad company for advertising underaged teens as webcam models. From the summary:

Clicking on it (the ad) ....... did mean they would receive the page's updates and could be mentioned in future versions of the ad.
So when the ad company automatically uses a teens photos in a new version of the ad... Some parents might get slightly angry, and a lawsuit and police charges probably wouldn't be impossible.

Anyways, I for one am looking forward to that story :)