Citizen Browser
How Big Pharma Finds Sick Users on Facebook
We found drug ads targeted at users interested in everything from bourbon to therapy
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Citizen Browser
Facebook Pledges to Remove Discriminatory Credit and Loan Ads Discovered by The Markup
The Markup’s Citizen Browser project found four companies targeting ads for financial products to specific age groups—a violation of Facebook policy and, potentially, civil rights laws
Google the Giant
Citing Markup Investigation, Civil Rights Group Demands Racial Equity Audit at Google
Color of Change petition calls Google’s block on advertisers searching for social justice content“unacceptable”
Google the Giant
Google Blocks Advertisers from Targeting Black Lives Matter YouTube Videos
“Black power” and “Black Lives Matter” can't be used to find videos for ads, but “White power” and “White lives matter” were just fine
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Citizen Browser
Credit Card Ads Were Targeted by Age, Violating Facebook’s Anti-DiscriminationPolicy
Such ads, along with other age-targeted financial product ads, may violate civil rights laws, attorneys say
Privacy
Google Promised Its Contact Tracing App Was Completely Private—But It Wasn’t
Researchers say hundreds of preinstalled apps can access a log found on Android devices where sensitive contact tracing information is stored
Working for an Algorithm
Shadow Bans, Dopamine Hits, and Viral Videos, All in the Life of TikTok Creators
A secretive algorithm that’s constantly being tweaked can turn influencers’ accounts, and their prospects, upside down
Google the Giant
In Response to The Markup’s Reporting, Some YouTubers Are Ditching the Platform
They said Google’s decision to block advertisers from seeing “Black Lives Matter” and other social justice YouTube videos was the last straw
Privacy
Big Tech Is Pushing States to Pass Privacy Laws, and Yes, You Should Be Suspicious
The Markup found industry fingerprints on at least five bills around the country—weak laws, experts say, that are designed to preempt strongerprotections