Campaign for Accountability
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** CfA's July 30, 2021 Newsletter
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Thank you for your continued support of CfA. We're dedicated to continue working to hold the powerful accountable.


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This Week:
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* CfA's Statement on Facebook’s Ad Targeting Policy Change for Users Under 18: On Tuesday, Facebook announced that it would stop allowing advertisers to target under-18 users on Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger based on specific interest categories, and restrict targeting options to those users’ age, gender, and location. The change comes amidst scrutiny from lawmakers and organizations, including CfA’s Tech Transparency Project (TTP), who have criticized the platform for not doing enough to protect young users.
+ This change follows a TTP report ([link removed]) showing that Facebook allows ads for alcoholic drinks, pharmaceuticals, extreme weight loss, and other potentially harmful age-restricted content to be targeted at children as young as 13 in the United States.
+ Statement ([link removed]) : “This targeting update is one of many necessary to protect young Facebook users, but it’s just a half-measure. The question remains as to how and why inappropriate ad content makes it through the ad approval process in the first place.” - CfA Executive Director Michelle Kuppersmith.


* An agency paralyzed by partisan deadlock: Why Congress must reform the FEC: CfA's latest blog post ([link removed]) explains how deadlocked partisan votes in recent years have rendered the Federal Election Commission (FEC) nearly inoperable. From 1975 to 2007, the commission deadlocked on only 4.9 percent of all votes, but from 2008 to 2018, that number shot up to 24.1 percent.
+ Last week, CfA filed a complaint ([link removed]) with the FEC asking it to investigate whether the National Rifle Association (NRA) violated federal election laws during the 2018 and 2020 elections. Two other complaints against the NRA were filed with the FEC in recent years, but both were unable to proceed because of deadlocked partisan votes.
+ "This time, CfA hopes that the commission will reconsider its stance, fairly consider the new evidence and base a decision on the facts, not political or ideological considerations."


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** What We're Reading:
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* Facebook to Limit How Advertisers Can Target Teens: "Facebook says it will notify users who turn 18 that they can now be targeted with interest-based ads, suggesting that the company will continue building interest profiles for teen users while withholding them from advertisers. Katie Paul, director of the Tech Transparency Project, says Facebook should stop profiling teens’ interests [altogether]" (Consumer Reports ([link removed]) , July 27)


* Federal Election Commission fines Sen. Rand Paul's presidential PAC $21,000: "The complaint and the FEC's subsequent inquiry concerned a political action committee called Freedom for All Americans, which used to be known as Rand Paul for President, Inc. and was the Kentucky Republican's principal campaign committee during his presidential run in 2015 and 2016. The FEC found reason to believe Paul's campaign committee violated federal rules, according to the commission documents The Courier Journal obtained, which weren't available to the public yet as of Wednesday evening." (Courier Journal ([link removed]) , July 29)


* These companies still donate to Jan. 6 seditionists in Congress: "Spokespeople for the companies argue that this is just another way to support American values. “Engagement with those with whom we disagree is a critical part of the democratic process and our responsibility in legislative advocacy as a company,” Danielle Cassady, a UPS spokesperson, told the Washington Post, somewhat blurring the lines between engaging and supporting financially." (Quartz ([link removed]) , July 27)



** Follow Our Work:
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We thank you for your continued support. Without people like you, our work would not be possible.

Here is how you can stay involved and help us accomplish our mission:
1. Follow CfA on Twitter ([link removed]) and Facebook ([link removed]) .
2. Follow the Tech Transparency Project on Twitter ([link removed]) and Facebook ([link removed]) .
3. Tell your friends and colleagues ([link removed]) about CfA.
4. Send us a tip ([link removed]) .
5. Make a tax-deductible donation ([link removed]) .

Be on the lookout for more updates about our work in the upcoming weeks. Thanks again for signing up to be a part of CfA!

Sincerely,

Michelle Kuppersmith
Executive Director, Campaign for Accountability

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