Meta is engaging in prohibited discrimination based on gender, according to a ruling from the Netherlands Institute for Human Rights announced today. The Dutch independent human rights body found that Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd., which is responsible for providing Facebook advertisements in Europe, is not fulfilling its duty of care to its Dutch users by employing an advertising algorithm that has a discriminatory effect.
The ruling responds to a complaint filed by women’s rights organisation Bureau Clara Wichmann in collaboration with the investigative campaigning organisation Global Witness. In 2022 and 2023, investigations discovered a clear gender bias in Meta’s algorithm, which decides who to show job adverts to. Certain job postings, such as electrician, hairdresser, mechanic and primary school teacher, were overwhelmingly shown to either men or women in the Netherlands. The job advertisement for the position of receptionist was shown to female Facebook users in 96% of cases (2022) and 97% of cases (2023). The job advertisement for mechanic was shown to male Facebook users in 96% of cases (2022 and 2023). This unjustifiably perpetuates and reinforces existing inequalities and stereotypes.
Read more on the original article : https://globalwitness.org/en/press-releases/facebook-algorithm-engages-in-prohibited-gender-discrimination/
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