5 ms·

I'm not completely sure this is just political people. Up until recently I only got ads for kickstarter doodads and airtable, but then it suddenly switched to g

I'm not completely sure this is just political people. Up until recently I only got ads for kickstarter doodads and airtable, but then it suddenly switched to gun stuff. I don't browse any firearm or political communities, haven't bought stuff, don't watch firearm youtube videos, haven't even been window shopping. There were 5 million new gun owners last year. I think the ad networks just view it as a highly probable click since so many people are suddenly showing interest in firearms that weren't before. Especially for people in my demo/geo... I am white and rural.

bonestamp2 6y ago
There are a lot of variables that go into those ad network decisions. Are you in a red state or a localized area where guns are particularly popular? Are you friends likely to buy guns? Do you buy other crossover product categories that gun owners also tend to purchase (ex. certain survival or camping gear)? Lastly, price per bid and volume... If nobody else is targeting you, or not paying enough to target you, the untargeted ads might make their way to your feed if they're bidding high enough or if facebook is simply trying to fulfill their ad volume.
stunt 6y ago
They are spending more money on ads because it's a good time to sell more. People are exposed to enough fear, unrest, and conspiracy theories that many of them only need to see a few ads to make an emotional purchase decision.
opwieurposiu 6y ago
When I was working in the machine shop business around 2016 another shop owner called our shop asking if we had any work to sub out. I was surprised because his shop was running at max capacity the year before, making gun parts. Apparently when a republican becomes president the gun parts market dries up; when a democrat wins, the market booms. I think the arms retailers are having a boom right now and have plenty of money for ads.
- casefields 6y ago
  It makes sense. When the sky is clear I don't need to worry about rain. When it's cloudy I do. Only 1 is a danger therefore people prepare.
- yao420 6y ago
  While historically that has been somewhat true, 2020 saw an extreme rise in gun sales due to covid, mass protests, and tons of growth in both right and left wing militias.
  - archagon 6y ago
    Left wing militias?
    - ashtonkem 6y ago
      Relatively rare in modern American politics, but not unheard of. In the 1960s and 1970s left wing militias and terrorism was a pretty common thing. A great example of this is the Weather Underground, who ended up bombing a lot of people. Whether or not you’d call these groups “militias” or “terrorist groups” probably depends on who you ask, but they certainly were armed. It’s gotten a bit mixed up lately, but historically left wing militias made more sense than right wing militias. Left wing groups are usually in opposition to this form of government and therefore have a lot of things they’d like to change with force if necessary. Historically right wing groups usually wish to preserve (to whit, conserve) things as is, which usually doesn’t require militias per se. Anti-government right wing militias are historically speaking, kind of weird, even though they’re the norm since Ruby Ridge or so.
smoe 6y ago
Could be similar as when the covid lockdowns, mass layoffs and advertisment budget cuts started, I suddenly got bombarded (where it passed the ad blocker) with ads on how to rapidly become a millionaire by investing in stuff from home and similarly sketchy products/services. I think could really be a risen interest in the gun topic within that demo and/or other companies not targeting them as much currently in the US while other see oportunity to sell more in this moment?
colanderman 6y ago
Same. I've been seeing tons of body armor ads on YouTube since the insurrection attempt. I am definitely not the target market (nor is the area I live in) and these ads seem specifically targeted toward people who are already into that stuff (or want to feel like they are).
ksec 6y ago
Surely it is someone decided to run ads against certain profile that fits? But I know Facebook will always get the blame for it.

bonestamp2 6y ago

There are a lot of variables that go into those ad network decisions. Are you in a red state or a localized area where guns are particularly popular? Are you friends likely to buy guns? Do you buy other crossover product categories that gun owners also tend to purchase (ex. certain survival or camping gear)? Lastly, price per bid and volume... If nobody else is targeting you, or not paying enough to target you, the untargeted ads might make their way to your feed if they're bidding high enough or if facebook is simply trying to fulfill their ad volume.

stunt 6y ago

They are spending more money on ads because it's a good time to sell more. People are exposed to enough fear, unrest, and conspiracy theories that many of them only need to see a few ads to make an emotional purchase decision.

opwieurposiu 6y ago

When I was working in the machine shop business around 2016 another shop owner called our shop asking if we had any work to sub out. I was surprised because his shop was running at max capacity the year before, making gun parts. Apparently when a republican becomes president the gun parts market dries up; when a democrat wins, the market booms. I think the arms retailers are having a boom right now and have plenty of money for ads.

casefields 6y ago
It makes sense. When the sky is clear I don't need to worry about rain. When it's cloudy I do. Only 1 is a danger therefore people prepare.
yao420 6y ago
While historically that has been somewhat true, 2020 saw an extreme rise in gun sales due to covid, mass protests, and tons of growth in both right and left wing militias.
- archagon 6y ago
  Left wing militias?
  - ashtonkem 6y ago
    Relatively rare in modern American politics, but not unheard of. In the 1960s and 1970s left wing militias and terrorism was a pretty common thing. A great example of this is the Weather Underground, who ended up bombing a lot of people. Whether or not you’d call these groups “militias” or “terrorist groups” probably depends on who you ask, but they certainly were armed. It’s gotten a bit mixed up lately, but historically left wing militias made more sense than right wing militias. Left wing groups are usually in opposition to this form of government and therefore have a lot of things they’d like to change with force if necessary. Historically right wing groups usually wish to preserve (to whit, conserve) things as is, which usually doesn’t require militias per se. Anti-government right wing militias are historically speaking, kind of weird, even though they’re the norm since Ruby Ridge or so.

smoe 6y ago

Could be similar as when the covid lockdowns, mass layoffs and advertisment budget cuts started, I suddenly got bombarded (where it passed the ad blocker) with ads on how to rapidly become a millionaire by investing in stuff from home and similarly sketchy products/services. I think could really be a risen interest in the gun topic within that demo and/or other companies not targeting them as much currently in the US while other see oportunity to sell more in this moment?

colanderman 6y ago

Same. I've been seeing tons of body armor ads on YouTube since the insurrection attempt. I am definitely not the target market (nor is the area I live in) and these ads seem specifically targeted toward people who are already into that stuff (or want to feel like they are).

ksec 6y ago

Surely it is someone decided to run ads against certain profile that fits? But I know Facebook will always get the blame for it.