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The guy featured in the article is using Facebook as the bad guy instead of him. Just because Facebook allows you to post these if you are tricky enough doesn'

The guy featured in the article is using Facebook as the bad guy instead of him. Just because Facebook allows you to post these if you are tricky enough doesn't mean Facebook is responsible for people being scammed by them. It is a weird type of projection or something like that -- a denial of responsibility. Weird guy.

AlexandrB 9y ago
It's becoming pretty apparent that regulation is necessary in the advertising space. Left to their own devices the biggest, most well-funded ad companies are doing little to combat scams, misinformation, and outright fraud. > It is a weird type of projection or something like that -- a denial of responsibility. There's denial of responsibility at every level. What's funny is that Facebook has absolutely taken on the responsibility of censoring content - blocking nudity and certain other topics. But at the same time has denied responsibility for misleading or fraudulent ad content that gets on its site. I think the difference is that one is cheap to do (object classification via machine learning) and the other would require some real manpower.
- oblio 9y ago
  Not sure it would require more manpower, but it would surely decrease their revenues. People refuse to accept it, but there's a reason there used to be millions of spam messages sent out each day 10 years ago and there's probably even more sent today, we just don't see it as much. Shady business brings a lot of money. Heck, entire (smaller) countries kick-started their wealth by collecting from shady people.
  - 55555 9y ago
    > Heck, entire (smaller) countries kick-started their wealth by collecting from shady people. I have no doubt, but am very curious to read more if you've got any examples.
    - oblio 9y ago
      Cyprus is a somewhat classic example: https://euobserver.com/justice/139688 https://euobserver.com/justice/139688 Malta seems to be doing something similar. Switzerland was quite prosperous but it upped its level by 1 notch by being neutral (and therefore both safe from destruction and a safe haven during 2 world wars) and also through some “minor” dirty banking: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Jewish_Congress_lawsuit_against_Swiss_banks https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Jewish_Congress_lawsui... Basically every banking center our there hasn’t really had any qualms with money laundering until international organizations put the squeeze on them. Panama, Seychelles, Curacao, etc.
- jmngomes 9y ago
  I think you mean "regulation is necessary in the digital advertising space". Advertising has already been regulated for a long time, and for the same reason: scams, misinformation, and outright fraud. The main issue is that the same standards that have been applied to TV, radio and print have not yet come to the digital world. That probably explains how ridden the industry is of shady practices...
vthallam 9y ago
> if you are tricky enough doesn't mean Facebook is responsible for people being scammed by them Come on. If you think FB is not responsible for people using it for bad purposes, then what is the difference between Voluum, the tracking tool he created and FB advt suite? If a company builds a multi-billion dollar business by showing people what to buy and how to behave(/vote), it is a basic ethical responsibility to make sure, the users are not outright scammed out by bad actors.
- ThomPete 9y ago
  No they aren't just like newspapers aren't either.
  - smt88 9y ago
    If you read the article, the actual behavior of FB employees (aiding known scammers) is wildly different from any newspaper operation.
_bxg1 9y ago
And I suppose that just because arms dealers allow warlords to buy weapons doesn't mean arms dealers are responsible for people being killed by them?
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
forgottenpass 9y ago
>Just because Facebook allows you to post these if you are tricky enough doesn't mean Facebook is responsible for people being scammed by them And just because Facebook isn't picking advertisers and approving the ad copy doesn't mean Facebook has zero responsibly that people are scammed. There is plenty of responsibility to go around. You may allocate it how you wish, but to lay none of it at the feet of Facebook is highly suspect.
TheCoelacanth 9y ago
Facebook is a willing accomplice in all of this. They make a pretense of trying to stop this kind of ad, but they also send out salespeople to actively solicit these scammy ads.

AlexandrB 9y ago

It's becoming pretty apparent that regulation is necessary in the advertising space. Left to their own devices the biggest, most well-funded ad companies are doing little to combat scams, misinformation, and outright fraud. > It is a weird type of projection or something like that -- a denial of responsibility. There's denial of responsibility at every level. What's funny is that Facebook has absolutely taken on the responsibility of censoring content - blocking nudity and certain other topics. But at the same time has denied responsibility for misleading or fraudulent ad content that gets on its site. I think the difference is that one is cheap to do (object classification via machine learning) and the other would require some real manpower.

oblio 9y ago
Not sure it would require more manpower, but it would surely decrease their revenues. People refuse to accept it, but there's a reason there used to be millions of spam messages sent out each day 10 years ago and there's probably even more sent today, we just don't see it as much. Shady business brings a lot of money. Heck, entire (smaller) countries kick-started their wealth by collecting from shady people.
- 55555 9y ago
  > Heck, entire (smaller) countries kick-started their wealth by collecting from shady people. I have no doubt, but am very curious to read more if you've got any examples.
  - oblio 9y ago
    Cyprus is a somewhat classic example: https://euobserver.com/justice/139688 https://euobserver.com/justice/139688 Malta seems to be doing something similar. Switzerland was quite prosperous but it upped its level by 1 notch by being neutral (and therefore both safe from destruction and a safe haven during 2 world wars) and also through some “minor” dirty banking: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Jewish_Congress_lawsuit_against_Swiss_banks https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Jewish_Congress_lawsui... Basically every banking center our there hasn’t really had any qualms with money laundering until international organizations put the squeeze on them. Panama, Seychelles, Curacao, etc.
jmngomes 9y ago
I think you mean "regulation is necessary in the digital advertising space". Advertising has already been regulated for a long time, and for the same reason: scams, misinformation, and outright fraud. The main issue is that the same standards that have been applied to TV, radio and print have not yet come to the digital world. That probably explains how ridden the industry is of shady practices...

vthallam 9y ago

> if you are tricky enough doesn't mean Facebook is responsible for people being scammed by them Come on. If you think FB is not responsible for people using it for bad purposes, then what is the difference between Voluum, the tracking tool he created and FB advt suite? If a company builds a multi-billion dollar business by showing people what to buy and how to behave(/vote), it is a basic ethical responsibility to make sure, the users are not outright scammed out by bad actors.

ThomPete 9y ago
No they aren't just like newspapers aren't either.
- smt88 9y ago
  If you read the article, the actual behavior of FB employees (aiding known scammers) is wildly different from any newspaper operation.

_bxg1 9y ago

And I suppose that just because arms dealers allow warlords to buy weapons doesn't mean arms dealers are responsible for people being killed by them?

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

forgottenpass 9y ago

>Just because Facebook allows you to post these if you are tricky enough doesn't mean Facebook is responsible for people being scammed by them And just because Facebook isn't picking advertisers and approving the ad copy doesn't mean Facebook has zero responsibly that people are scammed. There is plenty of responsibility to go around. You may allocate it how you wish, but to lay none of it at the feet of Facebook is highly suspect.

TheCoelacanth 9y ago

Facebook is a willing accomplice in all of this. They make a pretense of trying to stop this kind of ad, but they also send out salespeople to actively solicit these scammy ads.