Are targeted audiences ands online ads exposing age discrimination in America?

As our online and real-life lives are merging in front of us – are older adults being intentionally left out when it comes to advertising and job recruitment?

A recent collaboration between The New York Times and ProPublica, the independent, non-profit investigative journalism organization found that several prominent and high-profile companies in America were recruiting on social media platforms like Facebook – but intentionally targeting audiences in younger demographics.

What this means is that older adults weren’t just being avoided, they never even had the opportunity to see the ad. With targeted advertising that isolates key age groups and audiences – only those selected to see the advertisement or job opportunity will.

There are laws prohibiting this. The federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) forbids bias towards anyone over the age of 40. However, Facebook has defended its practice saying, “used responsibly, age-based targeting for employment purposes is an accepted industry practice and for good reason: it helps employers recruit and people of all ages find work.”

The concept of online ageism is new and not an easy subject to dissect or understand. As digital media platforms which cater to targeted demographics and measured audiences evolve - how will employers, social media companies and lawmakers ensure that no laws are violated when it comes to online recruiting and advertising?

That’s where the experts from the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) can help. IFA Experts are available to speak on this issue - simply click on an icon to arrange an interview.

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