[kictanet] [spin v/s reality]: Facebook (automated ad system) ALLOWS fake news ads before Nigerian vote (Al Jazeera Exclusive)

[Patrick A. M. Maina]

[Al Jazeera Exclusive]
Excerpt: "Facebook's automated ad approval system can be tricked fairly easily, making it possible to buy ads to spread misinformation and fake news in advance of the Nigeria elections, an Al Jazeera investigation has found.
Last month, Facebook said it would temporarily disallow political ads targeting Nigeria from being purchased outside the country in an attempt to prevent foreign influence in the February 16 elections.

The ads Al Jazeera was able to get Facebook to approve included:
* a false claim that armed group Boko Haram would take part in the elections.
* US President Donald Trump voicing his support for opposition leader Atiku Abubakar, 
* the deadline for collection of personal voter cards in Nigeria being extended by a week, and 
* thousands of Nigerian refugees getting a voting extension after the February 16 election date.
All four claims were false - but Facebook [automated system] approved the ads [after some simple trial-error modifications to trick the system]."
In the article, a Prof. Herman Wasserman, from the University of Cape Town, told Al Jazeera: "The evidence seems to suggest that their system does not work as effectively as it should."


Exclusive: Facebook allows fake news ads before Nigerian vote

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Exclusive: Facebook allows fake news ads before Nigerian vote

Facebook's automated system can be tricked to allow ads to show millions of people fake news, Al Jazeera found.
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