Facebook_

January 30, 2024
Meta gave the green light to teen-targeted ads for drug parties and anorexia that violated its policies and used images produced by its AI image generator.
September 18, 2024

Facebook says it’s committed to protecting election integrity. But it’s allowing users to buy and sell accounts that can run political ads under a fake identity.

July 31, 2024

Meta says it prohibits ads that sell prescription and recreational drugs. But it’s approving drug dealer ads targeting users in multiple countries.

May 6, 2024

Facebook hosts a thriving black market for fake and stolen accounts. Some sellers are offering accounts that can run political ads in India, raising election interference fears.

January 19, 2023

Facebook bans ‘militia communities.’ But it’s hosting an array of militia groups that push misinformation about migrants at the U.S. southern border.

December 15, 2022

Misinformation has endangered and confused migrants heading for the U.S. It’s also whipping up anti-migrant sentiment in Mexico.

November 14, 2022

Facebook prohibits the buying and selling of accounts. But the platform hosts a thriving black market for Facebook business manager accounts that can run multiple ad campaigns.

October 26, 2022

Meta prohibits advertising that promotes the sale or use of guns and gun accessories. But a TTP investigation shows the company allows weapon ads that violate those policies on a regular basis.

October 14, 2022

The Canadian government and fact checkers have warned about a fake Canadian visa program targeting migrants. Meta’s platforms are allowing it to spread unchecked.

September 16, 2022

For years, Facebook has been auto-generating pages for groups like al-Qaeda and the Proud Boys. That means it’s creating content for groups involved in real-world violence.

September 15, 2022

Human smugglers are making heavy use of tech platforms to reach migrants.

September 7, 2022

Facebook saw its first surge of anti-government “boogaloo bois” in 2020 at the start of the pandemic. Despite a Facebook ban, they’re creeping back on the platform.

August 10, 2022

White supremacists continue to have a home on Facebook—and the platform is generating ad revenue off them.

July 26, 2022

We talked to migrants about their information diets. Here’s what we learned.

May 17, 2022

A TTP investigation last year found that Instagram allowed teen users to easily find a range of deadly drugs on the platform. Months later, very little has changed.

May 17, 2022

Newly released documents and research are shining light on the expansive, and expensive, influence campaign being waged by American Edge Project (AEP), the Facebook supported anti-regulatory attack dog.

February 28, 2022

Facebook has failed to remove U.S.-based militia groups from its platform. Now they’re organizing support for the trucker protests making their way to Washington.

January 4, 2022

Facebook played a key role in radicalizing people who took part in the Jan. 6 insurrection last year. The platform still hasn't cleaned up its act.

December 8, 2021

Instagram says it removes posts that encourage anorexia and bulimia. New research finds that the platform still pushes such content to adult and teen accounts.

December 7, 2021

Instagram says it prohibits buying and selling of drugs. But TTP found that minor users had access to a range of pharmaceuticals on the platform.

October 1, 2021

Facebook restricted ad targeting of teens following investigations by TTP and Reset Australia. But TTP’s latest experiment shows Facebook still hasn’t fixed the problem.

September 23, 2021

Facebook insists it doesn’t allow human smugglers to use its platform. But TTP’s latest research shows Facebook continues to host a market for illegal border crossings. 

August 17, 2021

Far-right militia groups flourish on Facebook despite a promised crackdown. Now they’re prime spreaders of misinformation about the Covid vaccines.

August 5, 2021

Facebook failed to stem the flow of election conspiracies that led to the Capitol riot. Now, it’s failing again with misinformation about Arizona’s election ‘audit.’

July 27, 2021

Facebook Restricts Ad Targeting for Kids

June 10, 2021

TTP found more Facebook pages and groups offering illegal border crossing services. They show prices and routes—and often promise easy passage.

May 4, 2021

A TTP experiment found that Facebook approved a range of troubling advertisements for children aged 13 to 17. The findings echo a similar study in Australia.

April 16, 2021

Facebook says it doesn’t allow human exploitation. But smugglers are using the platform to offer migrants illegal passage across the southern U.S. border.

March 24, 2021

Mark Zuckerberg is about to face lawmakers two months after the Capitol riot. But Facebook still hasn’t fixed its militia problem.

March 9, 2021

Facebook has been heavily promoting a message that it welcomes government regulation, as its CEO prepares to face lawmakers for the first time since the U.S. Capitol riot.

February 2, 2021

Facebook has announced crackdowns on militia groups and “stop the steal” election conspiracies. But it’s allowing both to converge in a new pro-Trump “Patriot Party” movement that’s growing rapidly on the platform.

January 19, 2021

Facebook suspended President Trump following the mob attack on Congress. But the platform allowed organizing for the pro-Trump rally, as well as the spread of conspiracy theories and militant extremism that drove the rioters.

January 18, 2021

Facebook suspended President Trump and announced other actions after the U.S. Capitol riot. But it continued to push ads for military gear next to insurrection posts.

January 16, 2021

Facebook Pauses Military Gear Ads

October 26, 2020

Facebook, Google Still Offering ‘Embed’-Like Consulting to Campaigns

October 19, 2020

For years, Facebook profited from militia group ads looking to attract new recruits. The messages reached tens of thousands of users.

September 23, 2020

Facebook offered state officials a customized dashboard to monitor for election interference. But the tool doesn’t give the full picture of disinformation on the platform.

August 19, 2020

Facebook announced its expansive voter registration drive back in June. But it got off to a slow and halting start amid complaints by the Trump campaign.

August 12, 2020

Facebook has announced multiple crackdowns on anti-government extremists. But the company’s slow and ineffective response has allowed the movement to persist on its platform.

August 5, 2020

Facebook-owned Instagram disabled ‘related hashtags’ for key Trump content, blocking potentially negative messages. Biden didn’t get the same treatment.

August 5, 2020

Instagram Turns Off ‘Related Hashtags’

June 5, 2020

Facebook Cracks Down on ‘Boogaloo’

June 4, 2020

Facebook took no action against the groups after TTP identified them in an April report. Now three of their members are accused of planning violence at a Las Vegas protest.

May 27, 2020

Facebook executives like Sheryl Sandberg have spent years building relationships with state attorneys general. Now that influence operation is being put to the test as the AGs investigate the company for potential antitrust violations.

May 21, 2020

Facebook’s “Related Pages” feature points users toward similar content to keep them engaged. But in the case of white supremacist groups, the feature can give people a pathway to more hate-filled extremism. 

May 21, 2020

Facebook says hate groups aren’t allowed on the platform. But white supremacists are using the social network to build their movement.

May 6, 2020

Scaly, ant-eating pangolins are at risk of extinction—and being studied as a potential coronavirus host. But the animals are still available for sale on Facebook.

April 22, 2020

The groups are fanning fears of government lockdowns as they prepare for an uprising they call the “boogaloo.”

March 23, 2020

Facebook and Google banned sales and advertising of medical face masks amid coronavirus scams and shortages. But the content didn’t go away.

March 22, 2020

Facebook said it was removing videos of the New Zealand massacre. But 12 months later, they’re still available on the social network.

March 3, 2020

Facebook says it doesn’t tolerate child exploitation on its platform. But federal criminal cases show pedophiles have inundated the social network for years.

August 7, 2018

How Facebook and Google’s Campaign Embeds Benefit Their Bottom Lines

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Top stories_
September 18, 2024

Facebook says it’s committed to protecting election integrity. But it’s allowing users to buy and sell accounts that can run political ads under a fake identity.

August 27, 2024

YouTube restricted firearms content for users under 18. But teens still have access to prohibited videos.

August 6, 2024

The Apple CEO has long acted as Apple’s top lobbyist in dealing with governments around the world. Now he’s ramping up his efforts as Apple contends with an unprecedented wave of lawsuits, investigations, and regulatory pressure.

July 31, 2024

Meta says it prohibits ads that sell prescription and recreational drugs. But it’s approving drug dealer ads targeting users in multiple countries.

May 6, 2024

Facebook hosts a thriving black market for fake and stolen accounts. Some sellers are offering accounts that can run political ads in India, raising election interference fears.

April 11, 2024

The former Google CEO has repeatedly called China’s AI ambitions a threat to the U.S. His personal investments reveal a much friendlier stance.

February 14, 2024

The U.S. imposes sanctions on individuals, groups, and countries deemed to be a threat to national security. Elon Musk’s X appears to be selling premium service to some of them.