Previous system enabled housing discrimination in its advertising platform.
Facebook has announced that it is dismantling its targeted advertising program for housing following complaints that the social media giant was encouraging housing discrimination. Last August, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) filed a formal complaint against Facebook for allegedly violating the Fair Housing Act by enabling housing discrimination in its advertising platform. In its complaint, HUD stated that Facebook allows advertisers to target which users are able to receive housing-related advertisements based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, disability and ZIP Code. HUD added that Facebook also allows advertisers to set preferences by offering discriminatory options, thus limiting housing options for the protected classes under the Fair Housing Act.
Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s Chief Operating Officer issued a statement that noted the company was the subject of litigation filed by National Fair Housing Alliance (NHFA), the American Civil Liberties Union and other organizations that raised “valid concerns” related to discrimination. “Anyone who wants to run housing, employment or credit ads will no longer be allowed to target by age, gender or ZIP Code,” Sandberg said. “Advertisers offering housing, employment and credit opportunities will have a much smaller set of targeting categories to use in their campaigns overall. Multicultural affinity targeting will continue to be unavailable for these ads. Additionally, any detailed targeting option describing or appearing to relate to protected classes will also be unavailable.”
Source: National Mortgage Professional