Facebook is providing advertisers data to target Aussies as young as 14 at their most vulnerable

SOCIAL network site Facebook is providing advertisers with data to target Aussies as young as 14 at their most vulnerable moments, documents show.

Facebook internal documents reveal it is allowing advertisers to target Aussies as young as 14, at their most vulnerable.

SOCIAL network site Facebook is providing advertisers with data to target Aussies as young as 14 at their most vulnerable moments, secret internal documents show.

The Australian today reports that Facebook is using sophisticated algorithms that identify the most vulnerable, including when they feel “worthless” and “insecure”.

The 23-page internal document reveals Facebook is collecting information such as “moments when young people need a confidence boost” and is pitching that data to potential advertisers.

Information on a person’s moods including feeling ‘worthless’, a ‘failure’, ‘overwhelmed’ and ‘nervous’.

The information gathered and sold appears to breach the Australian Code for Advertising & Marketing Communications to Children guidelines which seeks to maintain a high sense of social responsibility.

Facebook issued an apology in a statement to The Australian, stating it had opened an investigation, admitting it was wrong to target young children in that manner.

“We have opened an investigation to understand the process failure and improve our oversight. We will undertake disciplinary and other processes as appropriate,” a Facebook spokeswoman said in a statement sent to The Australian.

The Facebook document states it is accumulating psychological insights on 6.4 million users — ‘high schoolers’ ‘tertiary students’, and ‘young Australians and New Zealanders … in the workforce’ to sell targeted advertising.

The code defines a child as a person 14 years old or younger, and states a “child must obtain a parent or guardian’s express consent prior to engaging in any activity that will result in the collection or disclosure … personal information.”

Personal information is described as “information that identifies the child or could identify the child”.

Facebook advertising is thought to be based on targeting users based on a person’s Likes, pages accessed and other information provided publicly.

With huge numbers of users on the site, Facebook claims one ad alone can reach up to 200,000 people.

In its statement, Facebook refused to disclose if the practice exists elsewhere.

“While the data on which this research is based was aggregated and presented consistent with applicable privacy and legal protections, including the removal of any personally identifiable information, our internal process sets a standard higher than required by law.

‘‘Facebook only permits research following a rigorous procedure of review whenever sensitive data, particularly data involving young people or their emotional behaviour, is involved.

“This research does not appear to have followed this process.”

FOR THE FULL STORY: theaustralian.com.au

Originally published as Facebook is providing advertisers data to target Aussies as young as 14 at their most vulnerable