{"id":22282,"date":"2024-01-23T23:16:42","date_gmt":"2024-01-23T23:16:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/?p=22282"},"modified":"2024-01-25T15:59:03","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T15:59:03","slug":"making-the-invisible-visible-introducing-polidashboard-v2-an-app-for-tracking-political-ads-on-metas-advertising-platforms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/socialmedialab.ca\/web\/2024\/01\/23\/making-the-invisible-visible-introducing-polidashboard-v2-an-app-for-tracking-political-ads-on-metas-advertising-platforms\/","title":{"rendered":"Making the Invisible Visible: Introducing PoliDashboard v2 \u2013 An App For Tracking Political Ads on Meta\u2019s Advertising Platforms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"\"<\/a>We are thrilled to announce the release of PoliDashboard v2<\/a> \u2013 an open-source app<\/a> for tracking political advertisements on Facebook, Instagram, and other advertising platforms owned by Meta. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

PoliDashboard is developed by the Social Media Lab<\/a> at Toronto Metropolitan University<\/a> as part of an international election transparency initiative<\/a>. It is designed to help voters, journalists, campaign staffers, and others track the use of targeted ads around social issues, elections, or politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The app\u2019s primary purpose is to help make paid online political advertising on Meta\u2019s platforms more transparent and resistant to both foreign and domestic manipulation. In addition, it can also be used as a tool to detect financial and other types of fraudulent activities on Meta\u2019s advertising platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PoliDashboard is unique among Meta-centric political ad dashboards. It is the only app that provides users with a bird\u2019s eye view in near-real-time of when and how an advertiser, such as a political party or lobbying group, spends their ad budget on Meta platforms and whom they are targeting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The data for the app comes from the Meta Ad Library API<\/a>, which is processed and updated daily. Country-specific dashboards are presented in partnership with select academic and civic partners in countries where the Meta Ad Library<\/a> is available. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Countries Added<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

New for 2024, we have added seven new countries to the app, bringing the total to 14. A few of the newly added countries are some of the largest democracies in the world, including India and Indonesia. More countries will be added in the future as additional resources become available. Click on any of the countries listed below to view the country-specific dashboard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Australia<\/a><\/td>8. Indonesia<\/a> (New)<\/td><\/tr>
2. Brazil<\/a><\/td>9. Italy<\/a> (New)<\/td><\/tr>
3. Canada<\/a><\/td>10. Philippines<\/a> (New)<\/td><\/tr>
4. Denmark<\/a><\/td>11. Poland<\/a> (New)<\/td><\/tr>
5. France<\/a> (New)<\/td>12. Spain<\/a> (New)<\/td><\/tr>
6. Germany<\/a><\/td>13. United Kingdom<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
7. India<\/a> (New)<\/td>14. United States<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New Features Added<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

PoliDashboard consists of seven data modules. The main landing module shows the most active advertisers currently running ads about social issues, elections, or politics across Meta\u2019s platforms and technologies for the selected date range. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a user clicks on any of the advertisers listed, an additional 6 data modules open up. These modules can be used to answer questions such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n