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Girl flooded with beauty ads on Instagram

19 points| hhs | 6 years ago |bbc.com | reply

21 comments

order
[+] deogeo|6 years ago|reply
> If you are an Instagram user and you would like to see which ad categories the platform has assigned to you, go to the settings menu in the app, then follow this path: Security / Access Data / Ads / Ads Interest.

If the BBC wanted to be helpful, they could teach how to install uBlock Origin, instead of how to help corporate when their spying fails.

[+] Aromasin|6 years ago|reply
To be fair, as much as it doesn't help things, it is entertaining to see what Instagram thinks I like and is a feature I didn't know existed. I recently un-followed everyone besides the people I know IRL (so no more celebs, memes and instachicks) and, combined with the obfuscation software I use now, the ads suggestions are all over the place. For a male, 20-something year old nerdy engineer I apparently have a real love of all things 'comsmetics, hair products, spas, dresses, beauty, and tattoos'!
[+] na85|6 years ago|reply
Does ublock origin work with native phone apps?
[+] rchaud|6 years ago|reply
A browser extension won't have any effect on Instagram because the vast majority of users are on the mobile app.

Besides, there's no reason for the BBC to start providing technical advice. Are they supposed to provide instructions on how to install it on Chrome, Firefox, and Safari? And also explain why it doesn't exist on IE, and why it exists on desktop Chrome/Safari but not mobile Chrome/Safari? How about also explaining that things like Twitter embeds (which news sites are full of) won't appear with UO's default settings, effectively breaking the site's functionality?

What happens if the extension breaks down the line (might happen with future Chrome updates)? Is the editorial team supposed to have a reminder to go back to the article and update it?

[+] Nyrox|6 years ago|reply
In other news: Water is still wet

> "There are lots of things you think about with your kids on social media, but advertising isn't really one of them," said Ms Winter

Under which moon did this lady live for the last decade? Instagram is probably the single piece of technology I would wish away the instant I got a magic wand.

[+] rchaud|6 years ago|reply
May have been part of a generation that grew up when legislation to ban child-focused TV advertising had been in effect. If you don't use IG, it's easy to miss that it's become a cesspool of advertising. Both "Promoted Post" garbage as well as Influencer's sponsored posts.
[+] josinalvo|6 years ago|reply
> Instagram is probably the single piece of technology I would wish away the instant I got a magic wand.

more than facebook or youtube? Why?

(my main problem with youtube, btw, is the weird addictive videos they have, but I would not vanish it because it adds a lot of value to me and others via courses)

[+] jammygit|6 years ago|reply
I can’t believe the business models that involve targeting kids these days are legal and so widely accepted
[+] nanoservices|6 years ago|reply
Not saying its right but Instagram terms of services states that they person cannot be younger than 13, this is a instance of the person being 12. The parents need to be more responsible and not create or allow social media accounts for their kids when they are that young.
[+] strikelaserclaw|6 years ago|reply
What can be more profitable than preying on the insecurity of young people /s ?
[+] HNLurker2|6 years ago|reply
I can't believe how young girls would react to such things
[+] russh|6 years ago|reply
"Update 19th June 2019: Since this article was published, Tamsin Winters has found out that her niece did receive a broader range of adverts than she originally believed. In addition to the 13 adverts mentioned, she also saw ads for trainers, chocolates, a drink and women's football."

So.... never mind....

[+] DocTomoe|6 years ago|reply
> The girl, who is just about to turn 13 - the minimum age for Instagram - has recently joined the social network.

So what we are seeing here is a TOS violation?