Former Meta employees Rob Leathern and Rob Goldman are launching a new nonprofit organization, CollectiveMetrics.org, to address the growing issue of scam ads on social media platforms. The initiative aims to bring transparency to the opaque world of digital advertising, particularly in combating deceptive ads that exploit users.
During his tenure at Meta, Leathern led efforts to tackle scam ads, overseeing initiatives like the Meta Ad Library and identity verification for political advertisers. However, since departing the company, Leathern has observed an evolution in scam tactics, including the use of deepfakes and AI to create more sophisticated fraudulent ads.
Expressing concern over the lack of adequate investment by major platforms in combating exploitative ads, Leathern highlighted a perceived stagnation in technological advancements over the past five years. Citing a lack of objective metrics to assess the extent of the issue, he emphasized the urgency for enhanced transparency in the digital advertising landscape.
Teaming up with former Meta VP of ads, Rob Goldman, Leathern aims to leverage data and analysis through CollectiveMetrics.org to shed light on the prevalence of online scam ads and demystify the opaque ad systems that facilitate their dissemination.
Source: WIRED