PROJECT SUMMARY

The Australian Ad Observatory Project
Focus Area(s): News & Media
Research Program: Data
Status: Active
The Ad Observatory develops and applies tools for observing how so-called ‘dark ads’ are targeted on Facebook. The goal is to respond to changes in the advertising environment by providing models for accountability and transparency of advertising targeted to individuals on social media. The current tool is limited to the use of Facebook on desktop and laptop computers. The Observatory team, however, has worked with different approaches on other platforms and is developing a mobile app that will collect ads from users.
To date we have over 1900 volunteers participating in the Facebook component of the project by installing the Observatory’s browser extension which allows them to share with us the sponsored content that appears in their news feeds. This participation has yielded more than 700,000 ad observations of more than 300,000 unique ads. These ads have, in turn, served as the basis for research projects on greenwashing and on the advertising of harmful products and services including: alcohol, gambling, ultra-processed foods, and financial services.
Outputs so far include six documents including working papers, technical reports, and academic publications. The project has also received substantial media attention, resulting in stories by partner organisation ABC about illegal gambling ads and scam ads. It has also resulted in collaboration with organisations including CHOICE, the Consumer Policy Research Centre, the Alliance for Gambling Reform, and VicHealth. Project findings and approaches have been presented at international conferences and we continue to develop partnerships both nationally and internationally.
Visit the public facing Australian Ad Observatory page for further information, and to join the project.
PUBLIC RESOURCES

Open Source Software: Mobile Ad Observatory
Target audience: Researchers, Software Developers
Content type: Javascript

Open Source Software: Australian Ad Observatory Dashboard API
Target audience: Researchers, Software Developers
Content type: Javascript
PUBLICATIONS

ADM+S submission to the Feasibility study on options to limit unhealthy food marketing to children
June 2024

ADM+S Working Paper Series. The Australian Ad Observatory Technical and Data Report.
January 2024


Addressing the accountability gap: gambling advertising and social media platform responsibilities
June 2023

Alcohol advertising on social media platforms – A 1-year snapshot. Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education: Canberra.
March 2023

Advertisements on digital platforms: How transparent and observable are they?
March 2022


Critical simulation as hybrid digital method for exploring the data operations and vernacular cultures of visual social media platforms.
SocArXiv, 2021


Ad Accountability Online: A methodological approach
In Everyday Automation, pp. 213-225. Routledge, 2022

Regulating Platforms’ Algorithmic Brand Culture: The Instructive Case of Alcohol Marketers on Social Media
In Digital Platform Regulation, 2022

The Australian Ad Observatory Data Donation Plugin
Github, September 2021
RESEARCHERS




















PARTNERS AND COLLABORATING ORGANISATIONS

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Algorithm Watch

CHOICE

Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC)

Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE)

RMIT ABC Fact Check
