Facebook lets advertisers commit age discrimination

clmetal

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Shameful really. I doubt this would be tolerated with any other group. Amazon, Verizon, UPS, NW Mutual, NYC Dept of Edu

Facebook has been accused of age discrimination after they allowed employers like Amazon and Verizon to exclude millions of older Americans from seeing their job ads.

A joint investigation by the New York Times and ProPublica revealed that the telecoms giant recently posted a recruitment ad for jobs in financial planning and analysis - but restricted the post to Facebook feeds for users aged between 25 to 36, who lived in Washington DC and demonstrated an interest in finance.

That meant that an older yet more experienced financier living in the capital, even one looking for jobs in their field, would never see the ad.



http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5200623/Facebook-allowed-employers-restrict-job-ads-age.html
 
Sounds like a suit against the other corps.

Age discrimination is not my jam, but I'm not sure that it's Facebook's job to enforce age discrimination laws against other companies.
 
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They can always add age fluid to the profile category to make amends.
 
Age range is a standard demographic parameter for every type of targeted direct marketing. This is an absurd complaint
 
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You'll have to explain your problem better than that.
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects certain applicants and employees 40 years of age and older from discrimination on the basis of age in hiring, promotion, discharge, compensation, or terms, conditions or privileges of employment.
 
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects certain applicants and employees 40 years of age and older from discrimination on the basis of age in hiring, promotion, discharge, compensation, or terms, conditions or privileges of employment.

This doesn't have to do with employment itself, it has to do with advertising. Because I assume most people don't manage advertising campaigns themselves it's worth explaining that the entire objective behind a successful campaign is to not pay for ads served to people who are unlikely to produce an ROI. With an unlimited budget and no requirement of a return you could sends ads to everyone but that's not the reality and advertisers are intrinsically required to discriminate in who they serve ads to. Age is a critical, and frankly ubiquitous, targeting parameter toward that end.

In my business (high end furniture) we don't intentionally serve ads to anyone under 30ish as they are unlikely to turn into a sale. In the case of job ads, there are certain age demographics more likely to be looking for employment at a certain pay grade than others and it makes perfect sense to target those demos as to not waste thousands of impressions (and dollars) on demographics that are less likely to produce a return on your investment.

If you want to make the case that age discrimination is happening you have to do it with the employer themselves and what their actual hiring practices show but complaining about the ad networks for offering completely standard targeting parameters is a non-issue.
 
This doesn't have to do with employment itself, it has to do with advertising. Because I assume most people don't manage advertising campaigns themselves it's worth explaining that the entire objective behind a successful campaign is to not pay for ads served to people who are unlikely to produce an ROI. With an unlimited budget and no requirement of a return you could sends ads to everyone but that's not the reality and advertisers are intrinsically required to discriminate in who they serve ads to. Age is a critical targeting parameter toward that end.

In my business (high end furniture) we don't intentionally serve ads to anyone under 30ish as they are unlikely to turn into a sale. In the case of job ads, there are certain age demographics more likely to be looking for employment at a certain pay grade than others and it makes perfect sense to target those demos as to not waste thousands of impressions (and dollars) on demographics that are less likely to produce a return on your investment.

If you want to make the case that age discrimination is happening you have to do it with the employer themselves and what their actual hiring practices show but complaining about the ad networks for offering completely standard targeting parameters is a non-starter.
This isn't advertising, it's hiring practice. You can't exclude age groups from your candidate pool like that. They're not selling a product or service, it's a job listing.
 
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This isn't advertising, it's hiring practice. You can't exclude age groups from candidate pool like that. They're not selling a product or service, it's a job listing.


"Facebook has been accused of age discrimination after they allowed employers like Amazon and Verizon to exclude millions of older Americans from seeing their job ads."


How is it not advertising?
 
"Facebook has been accused of age discrimination after they allowed employers like Amazon and Verizon to exclude millions of older Americans from seeing their job ads."


How is it not advertising?
It's not regular advertising. Advertising products and services isn't covered under employment statutes(obviously). Job listings/advertisements can't be viewed through the same lens as regular advertising for your business. How can you not know that?
 
"Facebook has been accused of age discrimination after they allowed employers like Amazon and Verizon to exclude millions of older Americans from seeing their job ads."


How is it not advertising?
Job ads are different than marketing schemes used to advertise toys during child shows on TV vs beer ads during football as an example.
 
It's not regular advertising. Advertising products and services isn't covered under employment statutes(obviously). Job listings/advertisements can't be viewed through the same lens as regular advertising for your business. How can you not know that?

Well you were quick to quote a law that deals with hiring practices. Quote where that law speaks to job advertisements. And please keep in mind that your personal ability to draw a mental connection isn't sufficient
 
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) protects certain applicants and employees 40 years of age and older from discrimination on the basis of age in hiring, promotion, discharge, compensation, or terms, conditions or privileges of employment.
They aren't being prevented from being hired or promoted. They just aren't being targeted in the marketing. They can still find the jobs and apply on their own. It probably costs less to show the advertisement to fewer people.
 
Well you were quick to quote a law that deals with hiring practices. Quote where that law speaks to job advertisements. And please keep in mind that your personal ability to draw a mental connection isn't sufficient
Listing your available jobs is part of your hiring practices. That's why you can't have a "for hire" sign in the window that says, "No blacks". I mean, I hope you don't own your own business man, this is simple stuff.
 
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