Facebook Snake Oil salesmen

I don't know how many of you guys are Facebook users, but I am a regular there and have lately been disgusted with the ads that are being published regarding prostate "remedies." Most of the ads include a photo of Dr. Ben Carson or Dr. Oz. They make claims such as "take two tablespoons of (whatever) on an empty stomach, and your prostate will be healthy in five days."
These ads are not only phony, but they could be dangerous. A lot of men should be consulting with a urologist instead of believing they can cure their prostate problems with some product which, truth be told, has never been endorsed by Dr. Carson or Dr. Oz. Their likenesses are being usurped to promote these snake oil "cures."
I've been reporting these ads to Facebook as scams, but I keep getting replies from Facebook that the ads do not violate their standards. Apparently, Facebook has no standards. If they don't have a problem with advertising that uses doctor's likenesses to promote their phony remedies, where do they draw the line?
Have any of you seen these ads, and what are your thoughts? I wish I could post links to a couple, because they are truly unethical advertising.

Yeah, and it's not just prostate cures. There are fake Kelly Clarkson images/videos for fake weight loss drugs. Unfortunately many people fall for this crap and the scammers get rich. Facebook and lots of other social media sites are now vast wastelands of garbage. Buyer beware.

Jim

Apparently there's a way to access ads on Facebook (now under "Meta," isn't it?) by subject (such as prostate) and then display them.

Go to

How to use Meta's Ad Library:

https://www.facebook.com/help/259468828226154/

for some quick basics on using it.

Then access its search tool:

https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/?active_status=all&ad_type=political_and_issue_ads&country=us&media_type=all

and use search box on screen to retrieve ads by subject. Search, for example

carson prostate
oz prostate
prostate surgery
prostate herbs

and then pick and choose from resulting display to view individual ads.

Also, for "Meta Advertising Standards," see

https://www.facebook.com/business/help/488043719226449?id=434838534925385

although sampling through some of these ads does bring into question, as least in some cases I noted, whether Meta is really living up to its own standards, as far as sticking to them goes.

Lest any of us should suppose that we will never fall for one of these snake oil salesmen, consider the case of Elizabeth Holmes, whose scam operation to perform all manner of tests from a drop of blood (Read 'Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies of a Silicon Valley Startup' by WSJ reporter John Carreyrou for the full, sordid story) here is a list of big names who got suckered in by her sales pitch: Rupert Murdoch,Tim Draper, Larry Ellison, Henry Kissinger, Jim Mattis, George Shultz, Richard Kovacevich, William Perry, William Foege, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden. Elizabeth Holmes and her partner Sonny Balwani are both serving long prison terms.

81GyGuy said...
Apparently there's a way to access ads on Facebook (now under "Meta," isn't it?) by subject (such as prostate) and then display them.

Go to

How to use Meta's Ad Library:

https://www.facebook.com/help/259468828226154/

for some quick basics on using it.

Then access its search tool:

https://www.facebook.com/ads/library/?active_status=all&ad_type=political_and_issue_ads&country=us&media_type=all

and use search box on screen to retrieve ads by subject. Search, for example

carson prostate
oz prostate
prostate surgery
prostate herbs

and then pick and choose from resulting display to view individual ads.

Also, for "Meta Advertising Standards," see

https://www.facebook.com/business/help/488043719226449?id=434838534925385

although sampling through some of these ads does bring into question, as least in some cases I noted, whether Meta is really living up to its own standards, as far as sticking to them goes.

I’m guessing that once you do this, your Facebook feed will be flooded with ads on the topic, for a long time. That’s how their algorithms work.

Tim G said:

**big names who got suckered in by her sales pitch: Rupert Murdoch,Tim Draper, Larry Ellison, Henry Kissinger, Jim Mattis, George Shultz, Richard Kovacevich, William Perry, William Foege, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden.**

It's interesting to note that these are all men, generally older men. I can just picture Holmes making her pitch as these guys are mesmerized looking into her big, blue, unblinking eyes. Lol. It really is astonishing. If any of these guy's advisors suggested that a tiny vial of blood isn't sufficient for most assays they clearly weren't listening.

Cyclone-ISU said...
That was a sobering ... and infuriating case.

Elizabeth Holmes ... ruthless, charming, shrewd, cunning ... SHADY ...

"Pride goeth before the fall."

And fall she did ...

CYCLONE

and why didn't she get 200 years or so. no need top answer. i know why

I am a FB user but can’t remember seeing ads for much medical stuff. I just took a quick look through my feed and see ads for ear plugs for motorcycling, motorcycle seat covers, Toyota, car polish, Medicare supplement, mattresses, the local paper, motorcycle parts and, finally, Ozempic. I guess I haven’t search for the right things that target me as someone who needs prescription drugs. I don’t no why they think I need a weight loss drug.

Since I don’t watch TV I haven’t seen the ads for medical things nor none of the political ads that my friends say are increasingly annoying this time of year. I used to be a radio junkie but have pretty much avoided that as well.

But I do know that there are all sorts of questionable medical products out there and always have been. Magic beans and elixirs have never gone away. I’ve had people extolled the viruses of homeopathy, crystals, magic laying on of hands, chiropractic, cryotherapy, coffee enemas, and you name it. I just smile and nod.