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Facebook is bombarding rightwing users with combat gear ads. See for yourself

theguardian.com

11–20 of 106 posts

Re: Facebook is bombarding rightwing users with combat gear ads. See for yourself

#11

It won't matter. The cause and effect are reversed. They're getting ads because many are actively buying weapons and armor, fearing that the government is going to become authoritarian communists or something. At least, that's what I understood from talking to right-wing friends.

Yep and if they turn out to be right then I’ll be glad they were staying vigilant on behalf of the rest of us.

Re: Facebook is bombarding rightwing users with combat gear ads. See for yourself

#12
post #3

> "A few months into maintaining my Trump online identities, I started feeling that I needed to buy guns. I knew it was irrational and impractical given my lack of training and urban lifestyle. Nonetheless I was convinced I needed them. When I told my girlfriend, her perplexed response made me realize how deeply my mind had been manipulated by my pro-Trump Facebook feeds." Exactly the kind of effect Facebook is selli…

Most of the smartest people of my generation have dedicated their lives to building super-computers to point at peoples' brains and make them want to buy things.

I suppose it's marginally better than fractionally growing somebody else's pile of money.

Re: Facebook is bombarding rightwing users with combat gear ads. See for yourself

#13
I'm not completely sure this is just political people. Up until recently I only got ads for kickstarter doodads and airtable, but then it suddenly switched to gun stuff. I don't browse any firearm or political communities, haven't bought stuff, don't watch firearm youtube videos, haven't even been window shopping.

There were 5 million new gun owners last year. I think the ad networks just view it as a highly probable click since so many people are suddenly showing interest in firearms that weren't before. Especially for people in my demo/geo... I am white and rural.

Re: Facebook is bombarding rightwing users with combat gear ads. See for yourself

#14

It won't matter. The cause and effect are reversed. They're getting ads because many are actively buying weapons and armor, fearing that the government is going to become authoritarian communists or something. At least, that's what I understood from talking to right-wing friends.

[flagged]

Re: Facebook is bombarding rightwing users with combat gear ads. See for yourself

#15
Yep, here's one for an AR-15 chamber lock that I got a couple weeks ago: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=364409318216958

I was shocked. What's suburban dad doing getting out of his SUV in a mall parking lot with an AR-15???

Full disclosure: I'm not on the right wing or even remotely close.

Re: Facebook is bombarding rightwing users with combat gear ads. See for yourself

#16
post #7

It's a weird thing since I have to imaging people that might buy that kind of thing already have it, or would be searching for it on other forums ( I have ).

Couldn't you say the same for, say washing machines?

You: I just bought a washing machine on Amazon

Amazon: "Here are some ads for more washing machines, in case you're an enthusiastic collector!"

Re: Facebook is bombarding rightwing users with combat gear ads. See for yourself

#17

I'm not completely sure this is just political people. Up until recently I only got ads for kickstarter doodads and airtable, but then it suddenly switched to gun stuff. I don't browse any firearm or political communities, haven't bought stuff, don't watch firearm youtube videos, haven't even been window shopping. There were 5 million new gun owners last year. I think the ad networks just view it as a highly probable…

There are a lot of variables that go into those ad network decisions. Are you in a red state or a localized area where guns are particularly popular? Are you friends likely to buy guns? Do you buy other crossover product categories that gun owners also tend to purchase (ex. certain survival or camping gear)? Lastly, price per bid and volume... If nobody else is targeting you, or not paying enough to target you, the untargeted ads might make their way to your feed if they're bidding high enough or if facebook is simply trying to fulfill their ad volume.

Re: Facebook is bombarding rightwing users with combat gear ads. See for yourself

#18

I'm not completely sure this is just political people. Up until recently I only got ads for kickstarter doodads and airtable, but then it suddenly switched to gun stuff. I don't browse any firearm or political communities, haven't bought stuff, don't watch firearm youtube videos, haven't even been window shopping. There were 5 million new gun owners last year. I think the ad networks just view it as a highly probable…

They are spending more money on ads because it's a good time to sell more. People are exposed to enough fear, unrest, and conspiracy theories that many of them only need to see a few ads to make an emotional purchase decision.

Re: Facebook is bombarding rightwing users with combat gear ads. See for yourself

#19
post #3

> "A few months into maintaining my Trump online identities, I started feeling that I needed to buy guns. I knew it was irrational and impractical given my lack of training and urban lifestyle. Nonetheless I was convinced I needed them. When I told my girlfriend, her perplexed response made me realize how deeply my mind had been manipulated by my pro-Trump Facebook feeds." Exactly the kind of effect Facebook is selli…

Most of the smartest people of my generation have dedicated their lives to building super-computers to point at peoples' brains and make them want to buy things. I suppose it's marginally better than fractionally growing somebody else's pile of money.

If by "buying things" that includes buying into pervasive detachment from reality (ie, Q related posts) then maybe it's even worse.

Re: Facebook is bombarding rightwing users with combat gear ads. See for yourself

#20

I'm not completely sure this is just political people. Up until recently I only got ads for kickstarter doodads and airtable, but then it suddenly switched to gun stuff. I don't browse any firearm or political communities, haven't bought stuff, don't watch firearm youtube videos, haven't even been window shopping. There were 5 million new gun owners last year. I think the ad networks just view it as a highly probable…

When I was working in the machine shop business around 2016 another shop owner called our shop asking if we had any work to sub out. I was surprised because his shop was running at max capacity the year before, making gun parts. Apparently when a republican becomes president the gun parts market dries up; when a democrat wins, the market booms.

I think the arms retailers are having a boom right now and have plenty of money for ads.

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