Australian Ad Observatory: Investigating mobile and dynamic advertising via computational and participatory approaches

Responding to significant recent and ongoing developments in automated advertising (including Generative AI), the Phase 2 Ad Observatory will develop approaches for studying contemporary media and information environments, where there are no longer either shared flows of content, nor stable texts.

It will conduct participatory research with diverse groups of Australians to provide visibility into the targeting of harmful products to particular groups. It will explore experiences of advertising and understand its cultural impact, combining citizen science with data collection.

This project will significantly advance our conceptual understanding of automated advertising, playing a crucial role in documenting the emergence of this new form of advertising and enabling industry, civil society and government to respond to the challenges it will create to observability and accountability.

Read more about phase one of the Australian Ad Observatory including access to public resources and publications.

Visit the Australian Ad Observatory public information page to view case studies.

• Develop a detailed account of competing advertising explanatory models: those offered by the platforms, those offered by users, and those informed from our observations;
• Conceptualise and develop models for simulating automated advertising at individual and cultural levels, creating tools for users to compare ad sequences and question the automated processes behind them;
• Examine implications of automated advertising, including the use of generative AI, for current and contemplated platform governance policies, legal tools, and regulatory frameworks; and
• Collaborate with partners to build a public interest network focused on digital advertising, promoting observability, advocacy, and influencing the development of responsible advertising practices.