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I'm an ex-Facebook exec: don't believe what they tell you about ads

theguardian.com

111–120 of 140 posts

Re: I'm an ex-Facebook exec: don't believe what they tell you about ads

#111
post #8

So wait, remind me why we should believe Antonio Garcia Martinez? The guy trumpeted the fact that he lied to his investors as a point of pride: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/5b4tqe/i_am_antonio_g... "Trust me, they're lying, I know because I'm a liar" doesn't seem terribly convincing.

Why not? I'm inclined to trust the security advice of a 'reformed' criminal hacker, assuming this individual has no clear reason to be lying to me.

Re: I'm an ex-Facebook exec: don't believe what they tell you about ads

#112
post #98
post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lol. Nope. It's been out less than a year. How many writing careers do you follow?

Everybody I know and his cat has read the book. Give us another book. How about reprinting the old adgrok blog posts about why SF is better than nyc because person in NYC is significant only if they showed up in the Sunday marriage section, whereas the SF guy can build something out of thin air and climb the rings of Fame. I dug that.

That's on the Wayback Machine, not that it was the Gettysburg Address or anything.

Re: I'm an ex-Facebook exec: don't believe what they tell you about ads

#113
post #11

Wow, I can't decide if this guy is more morally or intellectually bankrupt. Seriously, "sometimes data behaves unethically"? Data doesn't do anything. Not even analysis or deep learning does anything. People (or programs written by people) execute decisions on the basis of data. It's still the people being unethical. Big data isn't some magic wand that absolves you of moral responsibility, but it's extremely interest…

Skim thru his book. He definitely has morally bankrupt covered. Also, was he an exec at Facebook?

Skim? You should read it.

Re: I'm an ex-Facebook exec: don't believe what they tell you about ads

#114

Misleading title - since when did FB product managers become executives? Though completely believe FB will use their data in any way possible to make money, ethical or not.

It's not a title, it's a headline, and it's written by the editors. This is how newspapers work. Media title inflation is standard. Every 'senior' this and that you've ever read about is also bullshit, in case you hadn't noticed.

Re: I'm an ex-Facebook exec: don't believe what they tell you about ads

#115
post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If working at Facebook in 2011 gives you the self-perceived authority to talk about the company in 2017, I must be a world expert on the topic. Not to nitpick, but the author worked at FB from 2011-2013. He was there when FB's ad platform really started to find legs.

In those years FB ads was a toddler compared to the platform of today, I worked with FB ads at the time and until 2013-2014 too (author went to Nanigans after FB) For starters, today's platform is completely mobile focused. FBX (product the author worked on) was entirely desktop inventory.

Did you even read what I said? You're literally repeating it. Funny, and you're citing Custom Audiences, for which I was the first PM, as some sort of counter-example. LOL.

Re: I'm an ex-Facebook exec: don't believe what they tell you about ads

#116
post #107
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually existed for years and made a pile of money, and was only closed down when their entire programmatic stack was shut down (LiveRail, the test DSP, and effectively Atlas). You clearly don't know dick about ad tech.

> You clearly don't know dick about Would you please stop posting uncivil comments to HN? We ban users who do that repeatedly, and you've done it repeatedly just in this thread.

The initial comment was also uncivil. Additionally, it was untrue.

Re: I'm an ex-Facebook exec: don't believe what they tell you about ads

#117
post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Jay-z example was real and the tool was shot down by policy. Some targeting is really prohibited thanks to policy.

No offense, but how do you know?

I'm the author of the op-ed we're all discussing. :)

Re: I'm an ex-Facebook exec: don't believe what they tell you about ads

#118
post #107
post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually existed for years and made a pile of money, and was only closed down when their entire programmatic stack was shut down (LiveRail, the test DSP, and effectively Atlas). You clearly don't know dick about ad tech.

> You clearly don't know dick about Would you please stop posting uncivil comments to HN? We ban users who do that repeatedly, and you've done it repeatedly just in this thread.

It might also be awkward to ban the author of the op-ed we're all discussing. Assuming you want an author to respond to comments, that is.

Re: I'm an ex-Facebook exec: don't believe what they tell you about ads

#119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That was what I meant, although I have to agree with the parent that Facebook really should show everyone a get out and vote message.

If they did it would still be seen as a Democratic-leaning message.

So Republicans don't want people to vote?

Real question, I'm in Australia and don't know.

Re: I'm an ex-Facebook exec: don't believe what they tell you about ads

#120
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does an ad cause poverty?

If it encourages someone to do something that will cause them to go into poverty, such as taking a payday loan they can't afford.

the problem lies with payday loan itself not with the advertisement, though. If we know that payday loans are harmful for society, why not to outlaw them right away, rather than dance around it being advertised.
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