Tech giants have made limited progress in their efforts to improve transparency around the ads they run, according to a recent report on ads transparency tools. The report, conducted by Mozilla and CheckFirst, found that platforms such as Apple, Google, Meta, TikTok, and X have not provided sufficient data and functionality in their ad oversight tools. This lack of transparency hinders independent researchers from producing data-driven insights on the impact of Big Tech. Without robust public interest research, it becomes difficult to hold these companies accountable for their business models, which often rely on user engagement to drive ad views.
The report emphasizes the importance of transparency in understanding the effects of paid messaging, particularly when it comes to targeted advertising and its potential impact on vulnerable groups such as teenagers. Ads transparency tools that enable external researchers to study the types of ads targeting specific demographics could shed light on problematic dynamics and platform incentives. However, adtech giants have not made this type of research easy.
Despite the shortcomings of the ad oversight tools, the fact that 11 of the world’s largest tech companies now provide ad repositories is seen as a step in the right direction. This progress is largely attributed to the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which mandates larger platforms to offer a searchable public ads library. However, the report argues that none of the tools currently available enable effective monitoring of the impact of these platforms on elections, highlighting the need for further improvement.
The DSA includes penalties of up to 6% of global annual turnover for compliance failures, which could result in significant fines for tech giants. However, the report suggests that these companies are not actively prioritizing compliance with the regulations. They may be testing the boundaries of compliance or focusing on revenue generation rather than addressing legal requirements.
The report also raises concerns about the accuracy of the information provided in the ad repositories and the missing data. Many ads found in the user interface were not found in the ad repository, limiting the usefulness and trustworthiness of these repositories as transparency tools. The report concludes that there are major gaps between the intentions of the EU regulations and the practical implementation of the ad repositories. For example, X only provides a slow CSV file for download, which hinders independent research.
Tech platforms have been pushing back against the transparency requirements of the EU regulations. For instance, Amazon was initially granted a temporary exemption from the ad library obligation but was later required by a higher court to provide an ad library. However, platforms can still inject intentional friction into the transparency tools, making it difficult for researchers to access and analyze data about ads and their impacts.
The report provides several recommendations to improve transparency on platforms. These include design changes that would make ad libraries public without requiring a login, allowing unrestricted browsing, and offering enhanced search functionalities. The report also suggests that enforcers should develop guidelines for ads transparency and require the use of standardized APIs for research access.
In conclusion, while there have been some improvements in transparency, tech giants still have a long way to go in providing effective ad oversight tools. The report highlights the need for greater transparency to hold these companies accountable and allow for independent research on the impact of their business models.
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