In this file illustration photo taken on March 25, 2020 a Facebook App logo is displayed on a smartphone in Arlington, Virginia. – Facebook has banned a “violent US-based anti-government network” loosely affiliated with the “Boogaloo” movement whose followers have appeared heavily armed at recent protests, the company said June 30.
One can’t ignore that Facebook, often criticised for its timid approach to controlling content, has made a number of uncharacteristic announcements in recent days: banning the far-right movement “Boogaloo”, promising to highlight sourced information, reinforce its moderation… But Daniel Salmon, an analyst at BMO Capital Markets, said he doesn’t expect a “tangible financial impact at this state”.That is because Facebook has a huge number of small- and medium-sized businesses who place ads on its platform, around eight million in all.
Facebook has indeed sought to capitalise on the crisis, unveiling in May its “Facebook Shops”, an easy-to-use virtual shop template to allow businesses to set up on Facebook and Instagram. But she believes the tipping point will likely be whether huge firms such as Proctor & Gamble and Amazon join the movement.Will such giants really swear off the possibility of directly tailoring advertising to clients that Facebook and other social media platforms offer thanks the copious amounts of personal data they collect on their users?