Facebook Wouldn’t Let Me Advertise My Dating App Because Its Algorithm Thought It Was for Swingers
The policies of the most dominant social media network are stifling — and even worse for women
When I started my company, advertising on Facebook was never the plan. As a solo, female founder, and a longtime women-in-tech advocate, I wanted to build a company that operated with feminist values. Our culture was open and collaborative, our structure was flat, and communication with our community was authentic and transparent.
Even before last week’s massive antitrust lawsuit filed by the FTC and 46 States against the company, Facebook represented everything I found toxic about tech culture. The lack of transparency around privacy, the frequent exploitation of data, acceptance of harmful content, and addictive design despite how emotionally harmful it’s proven to be. Their tolerance around white supremacists, QAnon, and other hate group postings in this current election cycle was nearly unbelievable. Few female founders get access to venture money and the last thing I wanted to do was throw mine at Facebook. I was confident enough, or maybe just naive enough, to believe I could avoid their reign.
