Signal takes a jab at Facebook Ads; criticises intransparent data use

Messaging App Signal took to the public to criticise Facebook. The former stated that Facebook shut down its advertising account after it tried to buy Instagram ads. Signal wanted to show how the social media giant collects data, so it created posts with targeted keywords. In a blog titled - The Instagram ads Facebook won't show you - Signal said, "Companies like Facebook aren’t building technology for you, they’re building technology for your data."

The fast-growing messaging company wanted to showcase how Facebook collects data. "Facebook’s own tools have the potential to divulge what is otherwise unseen. It’s already possible to catch fragments of these truths in the ads you’re shown; they are glimmers that reflect the world of a surveilling stranger who knows you. We wanted to use those same tools to directly highlight how most technology works. We wanted to buy some Instagram ads," it claimed.

The company, thus, created picture posts for Instagram targeting jobs, location, marital status, dietary preferences, and interests and what people search for online. "The ad would simply display some of the information collected about the viewer which the advertising platform uses. Facebook was not into that idea," the post read.

Signal using keywords showing what Facebook targets

What did Facebook do?

Facebook blocked the ad access when Signal wanted to run targeted ads showing targeted keywords.

Even before this, Facebook has taken down ads that criticized the company. This is no different. Signal uses Facebook to criticise Facebook, the company blocks their access.

Facebook's ad business relies on tracking the data of its users. The algorithm decides which ads to put in front of online users according to the consumer preference and history of activities. Following criticism, the company stated that a transparent privacy policy, like that of Apple, will hurt small businesses that rely on personalised ads.

Instagram and Facebook Apps on several occasions have asked users to fill surveys to give more relevant ads. Still, it shows the ads more or less based on data points that Facebook collects.

But like Signal suggested, "Being transparent about how ads use people’s data is apparently enough to get banned; in Facebook’s world, the only acceptable usage is to hide what you’re doing from your audience."