09/19/2018

ACLU Says Facebook Ads Let Employers Favor Men Over Women

The charge names 10 companies that placed ads allegedly targeting only men

IN RECENT YEARS, Facebook has faced lawsuits, media exposés and even federal charges alleging that its ad-targeting tools help advertisers discriminate based on age or race for jobs, housing, and credit. Now, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) claims Facebook is also allowing employers to discriminate against women.

On Sept. 18. 2018, the ACLU filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), alleging that Facebook violated labor and civil rights laws by allowing employers to target ads to (mostly younger) men, to the exclusion of (mostly older) women and gender-nonbinary job-seekers.

In addition to Facebook, the charge names 10 companies that placed ads allegedly targeting only men. One ad seeking a roofer, from a company called Enhanced Roofing and Remodeling, was targeted to men 23 to 50 in Silver Spring, Maryland, according to information from Facebook accompanying the ad. Another, from JK Moving, seeking drivers, targeted men age 21 to 55 who live or were recently in Maryland. Neither company responded to requests for comment.

Please select this link to read the complete article from WIRED.