Live data from Hacker News

Russia used Facebook ads to exploit divisions over Black Lives Matter, Muslims

washingtonpost.com

1–10 of 111 posts

Re: Russia used Facebook ads to exploit divisions over Black Lives Matter, Muslims

#4
This talk (Rage against the weaponized AI propaganda machine) at DEF CON I attended showed research indicating that it doesn't take much to sway an election one way or the other - just a couple percentage points and that tactics which are now being widely reported on do work towards that goal.

https://media.defcon.org/DEF%20CON%2025/DEF%20CON%2025%20pre...

Re: Russia used Facebook ads to exploit divisions over Black Lives Matter, Muslims

#5
Sounds like a surprisingly detailed scenario they've been able to reconstruct based on just $100k of ad spend.

It's funny the Russians didn't funnel the money through US based organizations to cover their tracks, it's almost like whoever did this wanted to be discovered. But gosh, why would that be?

Re: Russia used Facebook ads to exploit divisions over Black Lives Matter, Muslims

#6
Main questions and comments that strike me when I see the $100,000 amount is:

With Clinton spending $141.7 million and Trump spending $58.8 million on advertising, does that miniscule amount even matter?

What was even the CTR with those advertisements?

Is there even anything wrong with any country or person(s) doing that or trying to do that since we already have Super PACs and lobbyists?

I have more thoughts that aren’t worth writing about (its impact on a person’s view), but is this Facebook advertising issue blown out of proportion?

Re: Russia used Facebook ads to exploit divisions over Black Lives Matter, Muslims

#7

Sounds like a surprisingly detailed scenario they've been able to reconstruct based on just $100k of ad spend. It's funny the Russians didn't funnel the money through US based organizations to cover their tracks, it's almost like whoever did this wanted to be discovered. But gosh, why would that be?

Perhaps the $100k was just the Russian government experimenting, and the real dollar values were funneled through shell organizations, or more sinister--with full knowledge and support of the Trump campaign.

Re: Russia used Facebook ads to exploit divisions over Black Lives Matter, Muslims

#8
post #6

Main questions and comments that strike me when I see the $100,000 amount is: With Clinton spending $141.7 million and Trump spending $58.8 million on advertising, does that miniscule amount even matter? What was even the CTR with those advertisements? Is there even anything wrong with any country or person(s) doing that or trying to do that since we already have Super PACs and lobbyists? I have more thoughts that ar…

When we test ads on a platform, we always run a small amount first, then scale up. The $100k could be just the test size.

Re: Russia used Facebook ads to exploit divisions over Black Lives Matter, Muslims

#9
post #6

Main questions and comments that strike me when I see the $100,000 amount is: With Clinton spending $141.7 million and Trump spending $58.8 million on advertising, does that miniscule amount even matter? What was even the CTR with those advertisements? Is there even anything wrong with any country or person(s) doing that or trying to do that since we already have Super PACs and lobbyists? I have more thoughts that ar…

Most of that money was likely spent on TV ads and stuff. Nothing as targeted and intimate as FB ads.
Post reply on HN