The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has charged Facebook with racial discrimination, alleging that the company violated the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against people of color in targeted advertising related to housing. “Facebook is discriminating against people based upon who they are and where they live,” HUD Secretary Ben Carson said in a statement. ... HUD claims Facebook combines data it collects about user attributes and behavior with data it obtains about user behavior on other websites and in the non-digital world. Previously, the social media giant reached a $5 million settlement after civil rights groups in New York sued over its discriminatory housing practices, according to Gizmodo. The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing and related services, which includes online advertisements, based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability or familial status.

Source: Huffington Post March 28, 2019 14:30 UTC