Facebook has made the decision to prohibit the use of racial targeting for housing, employment, and credit advertisers. “We are going to turn off, actually prohibit, the use of ethnic affinity marketing for ads that we identify as offering housing, employment and credit.”
Federal law prohibits advertisers to post ads for employment and housing that discriminates against/excludes individuals based on their race, gender, or other identifiable, sensitive information.
Not only is Facebook prohibiting the use of racial targeting for those type of advertisements, but they will also make is necessary for advertisers to confirm that the advertising that they are putting on the Facebook platform is not discriminatory.
In addition, Facebook will also make educational information available for advertisers to help them understand what racial targeting is, to help ensure that they do not accidently use the now prohibited, discriminatory advertisements on the website.
Jon Bauer, law professor at the University of Connecticut states, “[It] strikes me as a positive approach that moves them forward towards compliance with the law and that ensures they are not facilitating discrimination.”
