The use of custom targeted advertising, known as ‘dark ads’ poses a host of potential social harms, from the re-introduction of historical forms of discriminating, to the propagation of racist or gender stereotyping, and the spread of false and harmful information. The Australian Ad Observatory project brings together researchers from Australian universities within the ADM+S Centre to develop strategies for addressing the potential harms posed by ‘dark ads’ and provide accountability and transparency mechanisms for targeted advertising. The project uses a ‘data donation’ approach that involves members of the general public in Australia in the research: we invite you to participate if you are currently residing in Australia, are a user of Facebook, and are aged 18 or older.
