SEATTLE — Facebook has signed a legally binding agreement with the state of Washington stating the company will make changes to its nationwide advertising platform in order to stop third-party advertisers from excluding protected groups from seeing its ads.
According to Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, the state entered into the agreement with Facebook, which will halt the ability of the social network's housing credit, employment, insurance and public accommodations advertisers from discriminating against ethic, religious minorities, immigrants, LGBTQ individuals and other groups by blocking them from seeing its ads.
“Facebook’s advertising platform allowed unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, sexual orientation, disability and religion,” Ferguson said in a statement. “That’s wrong, illegal and unfair.”
The agreement stems from a 20-month investigation by the Attorney General's Office that revealed Facebook's service's platform allowed advertisers to exclude certain groups from seeing their ads, but did not offer an exclusion for Caucasians.
The assurance of discontinuance filed in King County Superior Court, includes Facebook adjusting its nationwide advertising platform and removing the targeting options within 90 days and paying $90,000 in cost and fees, Ferguson's office said.