Facebook has helped companies from Australia and New Zealand early this year to help reach vulnerable young people. In this way, advertisers could provide products or services to teenagers from 14 years who feel “worthless” or “insecure”.
This is evidenced by a confidential internal document of 2017, which The Australian has recognized. The 23-sided file, drafted by two top managers of the Australian department of Facebook, makes it clear how companies through the social network can subscribe to young people who can use a “trust boost”.
By monitoring posts, images and likes, the algorithms of Facebook exactly know how the users feel. For example, advertisers can jump on youngsters who feel “stressed”, “defeated”, “afraid, nervous,” “useless,” or “failure.”
After asking the newspaper, Facebook has offered its apologies. In a statement, the social network imposes stricter requirements than the law prescribes. “We have investigated to find out where it went wrong and how we can improve our supervision. If necessary, we will take disciplinary action.”
Whether Facebook has used these methods in other parts of the world, the company does not want to say. However, it gives ‘to give the impression that the people who use our services’ and ‘the importance of their safety’.