Challenging Technology for the Greater Good
Discover how Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, capitalizes on political violence to generate millions in revenue. CalMatters and The Markup collaborated to investigate the financial impact of violent news events on Meta's advertising earnings.
Political Merchandise Post-Assassination Attempt
Following the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, a wave of merchandise featuring the incident flooded Facebook. From coffee mugs to commemorative coins, advertisers seized the opportunity to profit from the tragedy.
The Markup analyzed that in the 10 weeks post-assassination attempt, advertisers spent between $593,000 and $813,000 on Meta for political ads explicitly referencing the incident.
Increased Revenue Amidst Conflict
Instances of conflict, like the attack on Israel, significantly impacted Meta's revenue generation. Ad spending related to the conflict between Israel and Gaza surged post-attack, showcasing a notable increase in advertising dollars.
Organizations and individuals paid Meta between $14.8 and $22.1 million for ads mentioning Israel during this period, marking a substantial rise compared to the previous year.
Debating Profits from Violence
Tech advocacy groups have raised concerns regarding Meta's profit from violence-related ads. Questions have emerged about the ethical implications of monetizing tragic events and whether it contradicts Meta's stance against promoting violence.
Advertising Strategies Post-Violence
Businesses, such as Red First, strategically capitalize on violent events to promote merchandise. The clothing company shifted its advertising focus to include products related to the assassination attempt, leveraging the incident for financial gain.
While some ads may not explicitly reference violence, they subtly allude to the event, allowing Meta to benefit from the heightened engagement.
Transparency and Accountability
Meta emphasizes the review process for advertisements on its platform to ensure they align with community standards. Despite facing criticism for profiting from political violence, Meta continues to defend its advertising practices and asserts that it does not directly profit from such events.
Through meticulous analysis and leveraging Meta's own tools, CalMatters and The Markup shed light on the financial dynamics surrounding political violence and advertising on the platform.
For more information on the analysis methodology, refer to The Markup's GitHub repository.
