Facebook Bins 'Discriminatory' Ad Targeting Options

Facebook is removing more than 5,000 ad targeting options relating to characteristics such as religion and ethnicity, which critics say could be used to place discriminatory ads across its platform.

Two years ago, Facebook faced a potential civil rights lawsuit from three users who claimed it had violated US laws prohibiting advertisers from publishing housing or job ads that discriminated on factors such as race, religion and gender. More recently, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) filed a complaint against the company, accusing it of helping landlords and home sellers violate the Fair Housing Act and saying the ad settings disregard the law by allowing advertisers to target certain demographics.

Commenting on changes to its ad targeting rules, Facebook said: 'While these options have been used in legitimate ways to reach people interested in a certain product or service, we think minimizing the risk of abuse is more important'.

Web site: www.facebook.com .