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Facebook Is Letting Job Advertisers Target Only Men

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271–280 of 407 posts

Re: Facebook Is Letting Job Advertisers Target Only Men

#271

Blaming Facebook muddies the water a bit. Ultimately the companies advertising on Facebook broke the law when they checked the wrong boxes. Facebook should; however, make that information public knowledge by allowing the public to see the advertising parameters of any given ad if they are curious but to my knowledge, no law requires it. Maybe it's time to start having a conversation about the need advertising transpa…

Why should FB get an exception for what’s been public law for 4 decades?

The local newspaper has a self service portal for classifieds. I don’t know about thier job ads, but they review their ads for rentals for violations of the Fair Housing Act.

Re: Facebook Is Letting Job Advertisers Target Only Men

#272
post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disparate_impact One thing you might be interested in reading about is Disparate Impact. Discrimination cases can be proven by showing that a practice has a disproportionately adverse impact on members of a protected class, even in the absence of intentional discrimination. The Supreme Court noted in Griggs v. Duke Power Co that the Civil Rights Act bans "not only overt discrimination bu…

Speaking of smells, my initial reaction is that Disparate Impact smells broken. I can see pretty clearly how it would be possible to argue legally that advertising a job internally and not externally (to a company) is discriminatory. And following that further along, in this way, I can see a pretty straightforward method of declaring any job advertising as discriminatory under that decision. I think law like this is…

> I can see pretty clearly how it would be possible to argue legally that advertising a job internally and not externally (to a company) is discriminatory.

I think the precedent is the opposite. Companies and governments in the US do this all of the time without legal risk.

> And following that further along, in this way, I can see a pretty straightforward method of declaring any job advertising as discriminatory under that decision.

Perhaps a bit of a stretch here. Companies and governments will continue to advertise jobs

> So in that way it's not used to fight discrimination, but instead becomes yet one more way to fight the oldest battle in history: The battle to consolidate and preserve the power of existing institutions of control and weaken the influence of competition and punish outsiders.

This sounds like good old competition to me. Why would an established player not weaken competition with pricing or product value?

Re: Facebook Is Letting Job Advertisers Target Only Men

#273
post #256

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yup, even if you are a women, you have to pay for the sins of your schools historical ‘discrimination’

It's more like: you're in a certain group, you get hired, and you know that the company that hired you has this policy of prioritizing hiring from your group. You spend your days in that company wondering whether you got are there because you're good at what you do, or merely because you are member of the prioritized group. I wouldn't want to be in such position.

idk, if i were a woman i might still prefer that position to not having a job in my field.

Re: Facebook Is Letting Job Advertisers Target Only Men

#274

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The ads are illegal, and publishing them is illegal, and the hiring practice you described is also illegal outside of very specific contexts.

Male only employment ads are illegal, but does that mean Facebook should have to change their UI for each case where the rules around advertising are different, or should people posting advertising be required to follow the law?

Yes. Why should FB be exempt from laws that every other ad publisher has to follow. The local newspaper has self service ads but they have to review them to make sure they are legal.

Re: Facebook Is Letting Job Advertisers Target Only Men

#275
post #268
post #266

I find the title a bit misleading - more so puts the blame in the 'wrong' place. Let me explain briefly. Facebook allows advertisers to pay a rate per advertisement displayed. Why shouldn't Facebook 'let' their paying customers show the ads to those they are interested in. AKA why would they pay Facebook to show their ad to people they are not interested in? That being said - I've followed most of the discussion...an…

> why would they pay Facebook to show their ad to people they are not interested in? Because not doing so is illegal in most first-world countries.

What is the legal text supporting this?

Re: Facebook Is Letting Job Advertisers Target Only Men

#276
post #256

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's more like: you're in a certain group, you get hired, and you know that the company that hired you has this policy of prioritizing hiring from your group. You spend your days in that company wondering whether you got are there because you're good at what you do, or merely because you are member of the prioritized group. I wouldn't want to be in such position.

idk, if i were a woman i might still prefer that position to not having a job in my field.

Special treatment versus fairness

Re: Facebook Is Letting Job Advertisers Target Only Men

#277

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think it's sexist to target men for a job posting. You know the job, you know what it entails and you know what works behaviorally and physically. There are differences between genders. That's okay. I do think it's sexist to not hire a qualified women for the job because she's a women ( esp. in the garbage collector scenario). Like you hate women or something and you don't hire them ( funny story I heard a wo…

"There are differences between genders." For sure. But you're not hiring a sex, you're hiring a person and individuals can match requirements for almost all types of position regardless of sex.

So if i have a job that requires a man, why should i be coerced into paying for showing the ads for women?

Re: Facebook Is Letting Job Advertisers Target Only Men

#278

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Duolingo has a policy of only recruiting from schools that have an above-average percent of women in their CS program. How do you feel about that?

Wow I have a lot more respect for Duolingo now. That's great!

Why does promoting special treatment rather than fairness increase your respect for them?

Re: Facebook Is Letting Job Advertisers Target Only Men

#279

It's marketing... demographics matter. Targeted ads are cost effective and efficient. What next? can't target women when advertising feminine products? or men when selling condoms? Are we really this bored to even be discussing this?

There is no slippery slope argument. Restricting discriminatory advertising for jobs and real estate has been established law for decades. Just because it’s “on the internet”, doesn’t make any difference.

Re: Facebook Is Letting Job Advertisers Target Only Men

#280

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t know about the US but there are rules in regards to job postings in the UK and likely the EU at large that would make that a violation of anti-discrimination laws.

I'm pretty sure I've seen adverts asking for women (but not the contrary); can you cite the legislation (at UK level is fine). rant incoming: Indeed in my small niche the almost exclusively female company owners, who always address group messages to "ladies", when enquiring about taking on employees always say "I'm thinking of taking on a girl, where should I advertise" or similar. Weekend help is "a Saturday girl".…

It's allowed for some select cases when there is sufficient justification mainly in arts, education and entertainment.
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