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Meta Launches Live Roll-Out of VRS System to Mitigate Unintended Bias in Ad Exposure

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Meta Launches Live Roll-Out of VRS System to Mitigate Unintended Bias in Ad Exposure

After developing the system in partnership with the Department of Justice for more than a year, Meta has now released the first stage of live deployment for its Variance Reduction System (VRS) for housing ads, which is designed to reduce bias, and increase the equitable distribution of ads across Meta’s apps.

As explained in this overview, Meta’s VRS system measures the actual audience reach for each ad, and ensures a broader spread of exposure, based on various audience factors.

As explained by Meta:

“The VRS uses new machine learning technology in ad delivery so that the actual audience that sees an ad more closely reflects the eligible target audience for that ad. After the ad has been shown to a large enough group of people, the VRS measures aggregate demographic distribution of those who have seen the ad to understand how that audience compares with the demographic distribution of the eligible target audience selected by the advertiser.”

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In essence, the system ensures that housing ads are not being limited to certain ethnic or socioeconomic groups by Meta’s ad targeting AI process, by measuring the overall ad exposure, and matching that against audience data based on US Census statistics on race and ethnicity.

“This method is built with added privacy enhancements including differential privacy, a technique that can help protect against re-identification of individuals within aggregated datasets.”

The system is the latest in Meta’s efforts to address regulatory concerns about its ad targeting tools, and the potential for exclusion based on the thousands of targeting factors available in the app. 

Meta has come under heavy scrutiny over its variable ad targeting in the past.

Back in 2017, an investigation by ProPublica found that advertisers were able to create Facebook ads that excluded people based on sensitive factors – restrictions that are prohibited by federal law in housing and employment.

As noted in the above video, Meta then removed various ad targeting options for housing, employment and credit ads in 2019. The VRS process is the next stage in its ongoing work on this front. And while its ad targeting systems, overall, have also been impacted by changes to data collection and tracking, the new measures will provide more assurance that its ads are not facilitating indirect profiling of certain groups, by broadening exposure to all audience segments.

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Ensuring fairness in AI is a complex area, especially when you consider that the majority of inputs that are used to power AI models often already include implicit bias to some degree. Every platform is working to mitigate this, and build new weightings to filter out unconscious and unintended impacts. But it’ll take time to measure the cause and effect of each update, with Meta now monitoring the first stage of this roll-out, and gleaning feedback on performance to update its VRS models.

There’s a lot to it – you can read more about the technical considerations at play in this whitepaper, which outlines how the VRS system works, and the various elements it’s working to balance.

The field of fairness in machine learning is a dynamic and evolving one, and the changes described in this paper represent several years of progress in consultation with a broad array of stakeholders. Much of this work is unprecedented in the advertising industry and represents a significant technological advancement for how machine learning is responsibly used to deliver personalized ads. We are excited to pioneer this effort, and we hope that by sharing key context and details about how we are tackling this multidimensional challenge that other AI and digital advertising practitioners can more easily adopt and take similar steps to help prevent discrimination and avoid amplifying societal biases whose impact extends far beyond any one platform.”

Meta says that the initial stage of the roll-out of VRS will focus on housing ads in the US, with credit and employment ads to follow.

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.

The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.

According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.

Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.

Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.

The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.

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This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.

Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.

As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?

Only time will tell.

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.

When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.

“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.

Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.

“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.” 

“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.

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“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.

Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.

As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.

That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.

Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.

That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.

Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.

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Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.

We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.

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