Fakebook: A tool exploring the 2016 U.S. election Facebook ads bought by Russia

In one of my old jobs, we used to test and run a lot of different news headlines or email titles with different messaging. We tracked and measured as much as we could.

The depth and breath of these ads almost feels like this might have as much been a research project as much as a process to impact the US elections or to create discontent among the voters.

I wish there was more info or better clustering on other filters on these ads like locations, age, etc. It would tell us how they were approaching this.

I find the irony in so many Americans being outraged at a foreign state influencing another state's elections to be deliciously intoxicating.

This doesn't really communicate anything. All the examples are something of this ad about americans liking cars was targeted to americans who like cars. I don't at all deny Russia meddling, but the website does a poor job at showing what they were trying to influence.

Example: This ad targeted people interested in same-sex marriage and 12 more.

We speak for all fellow members of LGBT community across the nation.

How is this influencing anything, all it does is advertise a group to people who would be interested in that group? They aren't stoking the flame or promoting racism/etc.

I'm confused, none of these ads seem to be targeted at influencing the election. Is that the point?