The CIPR‘s #AIinPR panel welcomes Facebook’s move to block Israeli company The Spinner – which claims to “subconsciously alter people’s behaviour” – from operating on its platform.
Facebook issued a cease and desist letter to The Spinner banning it from Facebook and Instagram on Friday, January 17.
The Spinner uses fake accounts and fake Facebook Pages to strategically target Facebook users with advertisements, through using sophisticated algorithms, exposing them to online posts disguised as editorial content.
The Spinner claimed it could manipulate a target for a relatively small fee, brainwashing targets selected by paying customers into taking action they otherwise wouldn’t have for things such as quitting smoking or proposing marriage.
We absolutely condemn this kind of unethical practice and do not recognise it as part of our work in public relations. Companies are looking at more ways to try and influence people online through unethical artificial intelligence-led tactics, which rogue PRs are utilising for targeting people and attempting to alter their behaviour without being transparent.
The more we call out this kind of unethical PR, the more practitioners, organisations and businesses become aware of it and that it has no place in the role of proper and ethical public relations.
Kerry Sheehan Chart.PR, FCIPR, CIPR Artificial Intelligence Chair
