The research was conducted by researchers at The University of Queensland with people with current or previous high-risk alcohol use or gambling, many of whom are actively trying to reduce their alcohol use and/or gambling or remain abstained. The report provides case studies on how these people are targeted with alcohol and gambling while on Facebook.
The research found:
- Facebook tags people who are at risk of harm and trying to reduce their use of alcohol and gambling as interested in these addictive products to target them with advertising. Collectively, Facebook tagged these 10 people with 89 unique advertising interests related to alcohol and gambling to target them with advertising.
- Alcohol and gambling companies uploaded data on people who are at risk of harm and trying to reduce their use of alcohol or gambling to fuel targeted marketing Facebook. Together, 264 alcohol and gambling companies uploaded data about 10 people to the Facebook marketing algorithm for targeting.
- People who are trying to reduce their alcohol use or gambling don’t want to be profiled and targeted for alcohol and gambling and can find it impossible to escape this advertising when they are on social media. People are trying to block this advertising so they don’t see it, but platforms don’t allow for them to do so.
Mariana found herself frequently drinking at levels that put her health and wellbeing at risk and decided to take steps to reduce the amount she drinks – she has been trying to reduce her alcohol use over the past year. However, alcohol companies are voraciously trying to lure her back through targeting her with alcohol advertising on social media. We found that 123 alcohol advertisers have uploaded data about her to the Facebook marketing algorithm and that Facebook has tagged her with 25 alcohol related advertising interests to target her with marketing. A quarter of the ads she was targeted with on Facebook were related to alcohol. Specifically, they frequently targeted her previous alcohol use pattern by promoting alcohol use at pubs and events.
(Source: F.A.R.E)