Facebook Labels 65,000 Russian Users Every Minute Interested Inwards Treason (Fb)

Serious question: Is Zuckerberg a sociopath?
From The Guardian, July 11:

Firm removes category, which affected 65,000 people, from advertizement tools, next security fears

Facebook’s advertising tools algorithmically labelled 65,000 Russians every bit interested inward treason, potentially putting them at opportunity from the repressive state, until the companionship removed the category, next inquiries from journalists.

The labelling raises novel concerns over data-driven profiling together with targeting of users on the website, which has already faced criticism for the same tool algorithmically inferring information virtually users’ race, sexuality together with political views despite information protection legislation requiring explicit consent to concur such information.

Facebook said the label was intended to simply position historical treason. “Treason was included every bit a category, given its historical significance. Given it’s an illegal activity, we’ve removed it every bit an involvement category,” a spokesperson said.

Although Facebook does non conduct divulge user interests to external parties, advertisers tin easily uncover them through careful role of the company’s public-access tools. For instance, they could run an mention targeting alone users living inward Russia together with marked every bit existence interested inward treason, together with thence tape the IP addresses of users who clicked through.

Those tools may move appealing to a Earth that is comfortable using the mesh for repression, said Russian Federation goodness Mette Skak, an academic at Aarhus University. “Officially, the mesh is non censored inward Russia. However, these methods, which Facebook has likely unwittingly given the Russian authorities, enter much easier for governmental agencies to systematically rail persons marked every bit potential traitors.”...MUCH MORE