5 ms·

Facebook's ad policies prohibit all tobacco advertising, and alcohol advertising targeting users under 18

by saddlerustle 5y ago

yunohn 5y ago
When it comes to ads, HNers will make up anything and believe anything, while refusing to do the most basic research.
- lostlogin 5y ago
  What’s made up? It’s not hard to find good sources stating Facebook still advertise tobacco, though you appear not to have noticed the links stating this fact. Here are some more recent links. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/17/british-american-tobacco-circumventing-ad-ban-experts-say https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/17/british-ame... https://www.independent.co.uk/health_and_wellbeing/big-tobacco-cigarettes-facebook-ban-instagram-influencers-a9309971.html https://www.independent.co.uk/health_and_wellbeing/big-tobac...
  - yunohn 5y ago
    The headline and byline from your links: “British American Tobacco circumventing ad ban” “Smoking giants are flouting rules set by Facebook and Instagram” As always, regardless of the digital or print medium, Big Tobacco (& others) have always tried to flout the rules. Same goes for Alcohol and Gambling ad bans.
    - lostlogin 5y ago
      What is incorrect about those statements? FB are paying influencers to advertise tobacco on Facebook and Instagram. Yes, it’s proving hard to enforce a ban, but are we supposed to be sympathetic to Facebook?
  - ParanoidShroom 5y ago
    The article states that they moved of the ads platform. If people pose with a cigarette and it's allowed by content guidelines of the platform and country, would you expect to have it censored? If I post a picture that I am smoking you think they should delete it cause I'm advertising it?
    - lostlogin 5y ago
      It rather changes the equation if you are paid by a tobacco company to hold a cigarette in a photo. ‘On Instagram, Big Tobacco’s influencers post glamorised images of vape products with hashtags such as #idareyoutotryit and captions such as “feeling Vype AF”.’ (From my link).
      - ParanoidShroom 5y ago
        Fair point. I know they have 'paid partnership' annotation in posts. I didn't notice they are circumventing that.
cocoafleck 5y ago
While technically what you say appears to be true, Facebook's actions still violate the spirit of avoiding that type of advertising in my opinion. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/apr/28/facebook-allows-advertisers-to-target-children-interested-in-smoking-alcohol-and-weight-loss https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/apr/28/facebook-...
lostlogin 5y ago
That’s why I included the last link. Facebook have said the right things but kept doing what they want - this has been the pattern with other things they have done too. https://www.independent.co.uk/health_and_wellbeing/big-tobacco-cigarettes-facebook-ban-instagram-influencers-a9309971.html https://www.independent.co.uk/health_and_wellbeing/big-tobac...

Facebook's ad policies prohibit all tobacco advertising, and alcohol advertising targeting users under 18

yunohn 5y ago

When it comes to ads, HNers will make up anything and believe anything, while refusing to do the most basic research.

lostlogin 5y ago
What’s made up? It’s not hard to find good sources stating Facebook still advertise tobacco, though you appear not to have noticed the links stating this fact. Here are some more recent links. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/17/british-american-tobacco-circumventing-ad-ban-experts-say https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/mar/17/british-ame... https://www.independent.co.uk/health_and_wellbeing/big-tobacco-cigarettes-facebook-ban-instagram-influencers-a9309971.html https://www.independent.co.uk/health_and_wellbeing/big-tobac...
- yunohn 5y ago
  The headline and byline from your links: “British American Tobacco circumventing ad ban” “Smoking giants are flouting rules set by Facebook and Instagram” As always, regardless of the digital or print medium, Big Tobacco (& others) have always tried to flout the rules. Same goes for Alcohol and Gambling ad bans.
  - lostlogin 5y ago
    What is incorrect about those statements? FB are paying influencers to advertise tobacco on Facebook and Instagram. Yes, it’s proving hard to enforce a ban, but are we supposed to be sympathetic to Facebook?
- ParanoidShroom 5y ago
  The article states that they moved of the ads platform. If people pose with a cigarette and it's allowed by content guidelines of the platform and country, would you expect to have it censored? If I post a picture that I am smoking you think they should delete it cause I'm advertising it?
  - lostlogin 5y ago
    It rather changes the equation if you are paid by a tobacco company to hold a cigarette in a photo. ‘On Instagram, Big Tobacco’s influencers post glamorised images of vape products with hashtags such as #idareyoutotryit and captions such as “feeling Vype AF”.’ (From my link).
    - ParanoidShroom 5y ago
      Fair point. I know they have 'paid partnership' annotation in posts. I didn't notice they are circumventing that.

cocoafleck 5y ago

While technically what you say appears to be true, Facebook's actions still violate the spirit of avoiding that type of advertising in my opinion. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/apr/28/facebook-allows-advertisers-to-target-children-interested-in-smoking-alcohol-and-weight-loss https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/apr/28/facebook-...

lostlogin 5y ago

That’s why I included the last link. Facebook have said the right things but kept doing what they want - this has been the pattern with other things they have done too. https://www.independent.co.uk/health_and_wellbeing/big-tobacco-cigarettes-facebook-ban-instagram-influencers-a9309971.html https://www.independent.co.uk/health_and_wellbeing/big-tobac...