TARGETED FOR TARGETING

Pro-Publica and The New York Times have released a report criticising companies such as Facebook, Amazon, Target, Verizon and Goldman Sachs, for targeting employment ads based on the age of users in the US, a strategy it has called ‘ageism’. Defending the move, Facebook, which had been earlier criticised for targeting ads based on the race and mental condition of users, said the strategy is helpful for companies to create customised ads promoting employment and that the report misconstrues how most employers use targeting tools.