Facebook has blocked Signal’s ads campaign showing data used to serve Instagram ads. For example, the ad shows the user’s place of residence, profession, and age.
Sign says She wanted to use Facebook’s targeting tools to let Instagram users know what Facebook knows about the user. Facebook uses these tools to display targeted ads to users. Signal ads appear to have used standard text, with some variants dependent on Facebook’s targeting tools.
The chat app developer shows the example of a user who loves K-pop who is a chemical engineer who lives in Berlin and has just had a baby. Another example is a teacher who lives in Moscow, is single and has a Leo astrological sign.
Before the general public could see the ads, Facebook signals decided to close the ad account. It’s not clear if Signal can still advertise on Instagram by creating another account, for example. Facebook has not yet responded to Signal’s message.
Updated at 12:52 pm: at Send a response CNBC journalist Alex Kantrowitz told Facebook that this was a “trick” by Signal and that Signal had never attempted to serve ads to users. Facebook denies blocking the Signal ads account for this reason. Signals was disabled at the beginning of March due to “unrelated payment issues”. This is where the screenshot below, which Signal uses as evidence, will come from on Facebook. Signal reiterates to Kantrowitz that she has tried to share ads and that his account has been banned for this reason.
