As some publishers try to clean up rogue online advertising, the platform has been slow to act on complaints. Time for regulationOne of the ways Facebook has been able to get away with some pretty questionable behaviour over the years is that exploiting users’ data is an abstract problem that doesn’t seem to impinge on our daily lives, and for which there is no obvious solution. What can we really do if Facebook figures out our commute time to work and uses that information to sell advertising? And is it worth doing anything if we don’t even notice it’s happened?This is why the news that Martin Lewis of MoneySavingExpert.com is planning on suing Facebook for defamation – after it failed to stop scam adverts appearing on its site that featured his face – presents an opportunity for campaigners seeking to impose regulations on Facebook. Lewis is an eminently recognisable figure, who is largely seen to be on the side of those who oppose swindling corporations. He has said he isn’t planning on keeping any potential damages from the case, but is partly using it as an opportunity to raise awareness about fake adverts. Facebook’s assertion that it is Lewis’s responsibility to report scams exploiting his image looks absurd. Related: Martin Lewis sues Facebook over fake adverts with his name Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2018-04-23 00:00:00 UTC ]