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I saw this post the other day, but this just seems like it is going to involve even more outrage at FB when the algorithm presents something incorrectly. Gettin

I saw this post the other day, but this just seems like it is going to involve even more outrage at FB when the algorithm presents something incorrectly. Getting ads for "You just lost a child, would you like to call a helpline?" are going to outrage just as many people, which is why I expect they just stay away from that type of subject matter all together.

floatingatoll 8y ago
It wouldn’t outrage people who need the help.
thebiglebrewski 8y ago
How about just stopping the pregnancy ads? Why does it suddenly have to be serving ads about stillbirth?! Maybe just go back to serving pre-pregnancy ads, or ads about something else....or maybe just no ads at all, for a welcome respite?
ssully 8y ago
I think they are asking to stop being prodded with baby ads altogether, not to be shown ads for loss support hotlines.
skystrife 8y ago
The correct response is not to try to advertise targeting the traumatic event, but to pivot and avoid it and related subjects entirely. I doubt people will complain if ads about babies and parenting were to disappear after a still birth or miscarriage.
- basic1 8y ago
  >The correct response is not to try to advertise... Never going to happen, they say marketers ruin everything for a reason.
  - skystrife 8y ago
    I'm not saying "don't advertise at all", but rather "advertise something very different". Does that matter, though? Maybe not.
karmasimida 8y ago
There is a choice on Google/FB/Amazon to turn off personalized ads I would presume? How good those choices are being respected or how long does it takes effect is another issue.
- sivanmz 8y ago
  You should try it. I switched interest based ads off on Google a few times, and also tried using YouTube while logged out. It’s pure trash. When you opt out of interest based ads you actually opt in to their inventory of worst content imaginable. There’s no middle ground.
protomyth 8y ago
Its an Ad platform not a member of this person's inner circle. Just shut the damn ads off for anything having to do with babies. At the end of the day, you are creating a mechanism to connect a person with a company so they can buy products. If something would be inappropriate for a salesperson to say to a person, then make damn sure your Ad network doesn't say that. It would be wholly inappropriate for a salesperson to suggest a hotline. Just stop. The Ad network is business, this just got deeply personal.
- res0nat0r 8y ago
  I think this is the overarching issue with the original post, as they're looking for Facebooks ad network to comfort them or give them some kind of advice, and that is totally not what it is designed to do.
  - protomyth 8y ago
    No, I don't think the story is looking for comfort from Facebook ads. I am pretty sure she is looking for Facebook not to add to the pain and just get out of any conversation she is having with those that support her. That's the point of the letter. Frankly, if you are an advertiser and know your ads are being served to someone who, through tragedy, cannot use your product and instead are now part of a thousand cuts treatment, you should be pretty offended yourself.
    - res0nat0r 8y ago
      > Frankly, if you are an advertiser and know your ads are being served to someone who, through tragedy, cannot use your product and instead are now part of a thousand cuts treatment, you should be pretty offended yourself. How, exactly, are they supposed to know that? The bigger issue here is everyone expecting Facebook to somehow be omnipotent. They're not. They are a sharing platform that makes money by selling targeted ads. They're not all knowing.
      - protomyth 8y ago

floatingatoll 8y ago

It wouldn’t outrage people who need the help.

thebiglebrewski 8y ago

How about just stopping the pregnancy ads? Why does it suddenly have to be serving ads about stillbirth?! Maybe just go back to serving pre-pregnancy ads, or ads about something else....or maybe just no ads at all, for a welcome respite?

ssully 8y ago

I think they are asking to stop being prodded with baby ads altogether, not to be shown ads for loss support hotlines.

skystrife 8y ago

The correct response is not to try to advertise targeting the traumatic event, but to pivot and avoid it and related subjects entirely. I doubt people will complain if ads about babies and parenting were to disappear after a still birth or miscarriage.

basic1 8y ago
>The correct response is not to try to advertise... Never going to happen, they say marketers ruin everything for a reason.
- skystrife 8y ago
  I'm not saying "don't advertise at all", but rather "advertise something very different". Does that matter, though? Maybe not.

karmasimida 8y ago

There is a choice on Google/FB/Amazon to turn off personalized ads I would presume? How good those choices are being respected or how long does it takes effect is another issue.

sivanmz 8y ago
You should try it. I switched interest based ads off on Google a few times, and also tried using YouTube while logged out. It’s pure trash. When you opt out of interest based ads you actually opt in to their inventory of worst content imaginable. There’s no middle ground.

protomyth 8y ago

Its an Ad platform not a member of this person's inner circle. Just shut the damn ads off for anything having to do with babies. At the end of the day, you are creating a mechanism to connect a person with a company so they can buy products. If something would be inappropriate for a salesperson to say to a person, then make damn sure your Ad network doesn't say that. It would be wholly inappropriate for a salesperson to suggest a hotline. Just stop. The Ad network is business, this just got deeply personal.

res0nat0r 8y ago
I think this is the overarching issue with the original post, as they're looking for Facebooks ad network to comfort them or give them some kind of advice, and that is totally not what it is designed to do.
- protomyth 8y ago
  No, I don't think the story is looking for comfort from Facebook ads. I am pretty sure she is looking for Facebook not to add to the pain and just get out of any conversation she is having with those that support her. That's the point of the letter. Frankly, if you are an advertiser and know your ads are being served to someone who, through tragedy, cannot use your product and instead are now part of a thousand cuts treatment, you should be pretty offended yourself.
  - res0nat0r 8y ago
    > Frankly, if you are an advertiser and know your ads are being served to someone who, through tragedy, cannot use your product and instead are now part of a thousand cuts treatment, you should be pretty offended yourself. How, exactly, are they supposed to know that? The bigger issue here is everyone expecting Facebook to somehow be omnipotent. They're not. They are a sharing platform that makes money by selling targeted ads. They're not all knowing.
    - protomyth 8y ago