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business Monday 26 october 2020
Facebook demands academics disable ad-targeting data tool

By FRANK BAJAK Florida to write about the profile citizens "and send
AP Technology Writer Nov. 3 presidential elec- them misinformation about
BOSTON (AP) — Academ- tion. "That Facebook is try- candidates and policies
ics, journalists and First ing to shut down a tool that are designed to influ-
Amendment lawyers are crucial to exposing disinfor- ence or even suppress their
rallying behind New York mation in the run up to one vote," Damon McCoy, an
University researchers in a of the most consequen- NYU professor involved in
showdown with Facebook tial elections in U.S. history the project, said in a state-
over its demand that they is alarming," said Ramya ment.
halt the collection of data Krishnan, an attorney with After an uproar over its lack
showing who is being mi- the Knight First Amendment of transparency on political
cro-targeted by political Institute at Columbia Uni- ads Facebook ran ahead
ads on the world's domi- versity, which is represent- of the 2016 election, a
nant social media platform. ing the researchers. "The sharp contrast to how ads
The researchers say the dis- public has a right to know are regulated on traditional
puted tool is vital to under- In this March 29, 2018, file photo, the logo for Facebook appears what political ads are be- media, the company cre-
standing how Facebook on screens at the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York's Times Square. ing run and how they are ated an ad archive that in-
has been used as a conduit Associated Press. being targeted. Facebook cludes details such as who
for disinformation and ma- preference. The executive, has long claimed protect- shouldn't be allowed to be paid for an ad and when it
nipulation. Allison Hendrix, said the tool ing user privacy is its main the gatekeeper to infor- ran. But Facebook does not
In an Oct. 16 letter to the violates Facebook rules concern, though NYU re- mation necessary to safe- share information about
researchers, a Facebook prohibiting automated bulk searchers say their tool is guard our democracy. " who gets served the ad.
executive demanded they collection of data from the programmed so the data " The NYU Ad Observatory is The company has resisted
disable a special plug-in site. Her letter threatened collected from participat- the only window research- allowing researchers ac-
for Chrome and Firefox "additional enforcement ing volunteers is anony- ers have to see microtar- cess to the platform, where
browsers used by 6,500 vol- action" if the takedown was mous. geting information about right-wing content has
unteers across the United not effected by Nov. 30. The outcry over Facebook's political ads on Facebook," consistently been trending
States and delete the data Company spokesman Joe threat was immediate after Julia Angwin, editor of the in recent weeks. Last year,
obtained. The plug-in lets Osborne said in an emailed The Wall Street Journal first data-centric investigative more than 200 researchers
researchers see which ads statement Saturday that reported the news Friday tech news website The signed a letter to Facebook
are shown to each volun- Facebook "informed NYU considering the valuable Markup, tweet in disap- calling on it to lift restrictions
teer; Facebook lets ad- months ago that moving insights the "Ad Observer" pointment. on public-interest research
vertisers tailor ads based forward with a project to tool provides. It has been The tool lets researchers and journalism that would
on specific demographics scrape people's Facebook used since its September see how some Facebook permit automated digital
that go far beyond race, information would violate launch by local reporters advertisers use data gath- collection of data from the
age, gender and political our terms." The company from Wisconsin to Utah to ered by the company to platform.q

Work already underway for presidential inauguration

By KEVIN FREKING on Inaugural Ceremonies. could be taken. Will at-
Associated Press The committee has voted tendees be required to
WASHINGTON (AP) — to hold the inaugural cer- wear a mask? Or have their
While much of Washing- emonies on the West Front temperatures taken? Or so-
ton is twisted in knots over of the Capitol, a tradition cial distance to the extent
the upcoming election, that began under Ronald possible? Such precau-
there’s another contingent Reagan. The Architect of tions are being discussed,
already busy trying to fig- the Capitol is busy con- though no final determina-
ure out how to stage an structing the inaugural tions have been made with
inauguration for the to-be- platform from scratch. The the ceremony still about
determined next president platform traditionally holds three months away.
during a pandemic. more than 1,600 people, in- After the ceremony, the
Visitors to the U.S. Capitol cluding the president and president and vice presi-
and the White House can vice president, members of dent will attend a luncheon
already see preparations Congress, Supreme Court in National Statuary Hall
underway for the Jan. 20 justices, and the outgoing that includes speeches, The West Front of the U.S. Capitol on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, in
ceremony, a date set by president and vice presi- gifts and toasts. The format Washington.
the 20th Amendment to dent. Bleachers above the used today began in 1953 Associated Press.
the Constitution, for whoev- platform hold 1,000 ad- when President Dwight D. mittee oversees inaugural construction to begin.
er emerges as the winner. ditional people. The view Eisenhower and his wife events held away from the The Nuclear Security Ad-
And low-flying helicopters from the West Front stretch- and 50 other guests of the U.S. Capitol. ministration, part of the
are swooping around town es the length of the Nation- joint committee dined on In the meantime, the Na- Energy Department, has
as part of beefed-up secu- al Mall, where Americans creamed chicken, baked tional Park Service is pre- begun conducting low-
rity precautions. from around the country ham and potato puffs in paring for the construc- altitude helicopter flights
Construction work is taking gather to catch a glimpse the Old Senate Chamber. tion of the reviewing and around the capital during
place with the mindset that of history. Then it’s on to the parade media stands used by the the daytime. The depart-
it is easier to scale down, if But in recognition that life and inaugural balls. A Presi- president-elect, his staff ment said the aircraft con-
the coronavirus makes that has changed as a result dential Inaugural Commit- and family for the Presi- tain state-of-the art radi-
necessary, than to scale of COVID-19, lawmakers tee, a nonprofit represent- dential Inaugural Parade. It ation-sensing technology,
up, said Paige Waltz, a are leaving all options on ing the president-elect, will has closed a portion of La- and the flights are part of
spokesperson for the Joint the table when it comes be organized following the fayette Park and the White standard preparations to
Congressional Committee to safety precautions that Nov. 3 election. The com- House sidewalk to allow protect public safety. q