According to an investigative report by New York-based ProPublica, 25 richest Americans paid relatively little to nothing in federal income taxes. The report claims that Warren Buffett, Jeff Bezos, Michael Bloomberg and Elon Musk paid less than 4% tax on their incomes between 2014 and 2018.

Top richest Americans paid little to nothing in US Federal income taxes, says report

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-bans-white-nationalism-white-separatism-on-its-platforms-206154">US Department of Housing and Urban Development</a> (HUD) charged Facebook Inc on Thursday with violating the Fair Housing Act, alleging that the company's targeted advertising discriminated on the basis of race and colour.

Seeking damages and unspecified appropriate relief for the harm caused, HUD said that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-shuts-more-inauthentic-accounts-linked-to-iran-russia-macedonia-kosovo-205835">Facebook also restricted </a>who could see housing-related ads based on national origin, religion, familial status, sex and disability.

Facebook said it had been working with HUD on the issue and was surprised by the department's decision to issue the charge, having taken significant steps to prevent ads that discriminate across its platforms.

The social media giant said last week it would create a new advertising portal for ads linked to housing and employment that would limit targeting options for advertisers and pledged to build a tool that would allow users to search all current housing ads listed in the United States, regardless of whether the ads were directed at them.

The HUD charge said that Facebook enabled advertisers to exclude people whom the social network's data classified as parents, non-American-born, non-Christian, or a variety of other interests that closely align with the Fair Housing Act's protected classes.

"Facebook is discriminating against people based upon who they are and where they live," HUD Secretary Ben Carson said. "Using a computer to limit a person's housing choices can be just as discriminatory as slamming a door in someone's face."

Advertising practices at the world's largest social network, with 2.7 billion users and nearly $56 billion in annual revenue, have been under the microscope for about two years of growing discontent over Facebook's approach to privacy and user data.

News organization ProPublica reported as far back as 2016 that advertisers could target ads through Facebook based on people's self-reported jobs, even if the job was "Jew hater".

ProPublica later reported that it was able to buy discriminatory housing ads and slip them past Facebook's review process, despite the company's claims it was blocking such ads.

Since then, Facebook has undergone legal pressure over the issue from the National Fair Housing Alliance, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Communications Workers of America, among other groups and individuals.

The civil charge follows an investigation by HUD in August when it filed a formal complaint against Facebook for violating the Fair Housing Act by allowing landlords and home sellers to use its advertising platform to engage in housing discrimination.

The charge will be heard by a US law administrative judge who can award damages for harm caused by the discrimination, along with fines and injunctive and other equitable relief.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing and related services, which includes online advertisements, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or familial status.

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) charged Facebook Inc on Thursday with violating the Fair Housing Act, alleging that the company's targeted advertising discriminated on the basis of race and colour.

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) charged Facebook Inc on Thursday with violating the Fair Housing Act, alleging that the company's targeted advertising discriminated on the basis of race and colour. Seeking damages and unspecified appropriate relief for the harm caused, HUD said that Facebook also restricted who could see housing-related ads based on national origin, religion, familial status, sex and disability. Facebook said it had been working with HUD on the issue and was surprised by the department's decision to issue the charge, having taken significant steps to prevent ads that discriminate across its platforms. The social media giant said last week it would create a new advertising portal for ads linked to housing and employment that would limit targeting options for advertisers and pledged to build a tool that would allow users to search all current housing ads listed in the United States, regardless of whether the ads were directed at them. The HUD charge said that Facebook enabled advertisers to exclude people whom the social network's data classified as parents, non-American-born, non-Christian, or a variety of other interests that closely align with the Fair Housing Act's protected classes. "Facebook is discriminating against people based upon who they are and where they live," HUD Secretary Ben Carson said. "Using a computer to limit a person's housing choices can be just as discriminatory as slamming a door in someone's face." Advertising practices at the world's largest social network, with 2.7 billion users and nearly $56 billion in annual revenue, have been under the microscope for about two years of growing discontent over Facebook's approach to privacy and user data. News organization ProPublica reported as far back as 2016 that advertisers could target ads through Facebook based on people's self-reported jobs, even if the job was "Jew hater". ProPublica later reported that it was able to buy discriminatory housing ads and slip them past Facebook's review process, despite the company's claims it was blocking such ads. Since then, Facebook has undergone legal pressure over the issue from the National Fair Housing Alliance, the American Civil Liberties Union and the Communications Workers of America, among other groups and individuals. The civil charge follows an investigation by HUD in August when it filed a formal complaint against Facebook for violating the Fair Housing Act by allowing landlords and home sellers to use its advertising platform to engage in housing discrimination. The charge will be heard by a US law administrative judge who can award damages for harm caused by the discrimination, along with fines and injunctive and other equitable relief. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing and related services, which includes online advertisements, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or familial status.

Facebook charged with racial discrimination over targeted housing ads

Facebook on Friday announced some advertisers will be barred from posting ads targeting racial or ethnic groups.&nbsp;

The social media giant in a blog post said it will disable its advertising tool, &#39;ethnic affinities,&#39; for ads that offer housing, employment and credit extension.&nbsp;

Facebook&#39;s chief privacy officer, Erin Egan wrote, &quot;There are many non-discriminatory uses of our ethnic affinity solution in these areas, but we have decided that we can best guard against discrimination by suspending these types of ads.&quot;

Facebook will use tools which automatically detect and disable ads which depend on &quot;ethnic affinity marketing&quot; and it will also update its policies so that advertisers are unable to discriminate.&nbsp;

The move comes in after ProPublica, a non-profit investigative news agency published an article pointing out Facebook allowed advertisers to target groups on the basis of ethnicity.

Following this, a group of users filed a lawsuit saying it violated the Fair Housing Act and Civil Rights Act.

After Donald Trump&#39;s unexpected and historical win, Facebook has come under flak for helping president-elect Trump by allowing &quot;fake news&quot; content about him, affecting voters decision.&nbsp;

Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg has denied the allegations and said the content was too small to influence the election.&nbsp;

(WION) 
&nbsp;

Facebook said it will disable its advertising tool, 'ethnic affinities,' for ads that offer housing, employment and credit extension

Facebook on Friday announced some advertisers will be barred from posting ads targeting racial or ethnic groups. The social media giant in a blog post said it will disable its advertising tool, 'ethnic affinities,' for ads that offer housing, employment and credit extension. Facebook's chief privacy officer, Erin Egan wrote, "There are many non-discriminatory uses of our ethnic affinity solution in these areas, but we have decided that we can best guard against discrimination by suspending these types of ads." Facebook will use tools which automatically detect and disable ads which depend on "ethnic affinity marketing" and it will also update its policies so that advertisers are unable to discriminate. The move comes in after ProPublica, a non-profit investigative news agency published an article pointing out Facebook allowed advertisers to target groups on the basis of ethnicity. Following this, a group of users filed a lawsuit saying it violated the Fair Housing Act and Civil Rights Act. After Donald Trump's unexpected and historical win, Facebook has come under flak for helping president-elect Trump by allowing "fake news" content about him, affecting voters decision. Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg has denied the allegations and said the content was too small to influence the election. (WION)

Facebook to stop ethnicity-based targeting for some ads

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