PoliDashboard
@polidashboard.org
Making the invisible visible — PoliDashboard is an open-source app for tracking political advertisements on Meta-owned advertising platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. https://polidashboard.org/
Reposted by PoliDashboard
In some way, social media is like a weather vane in a storm: it spins quickly to show where the wind’s blowing, but you can’t tell how fierce the storm really is.
September 27, 2025 at 1:05 AM
In some way, social media is like a weather vane in a storm: it spins quickly to show where the wind’s blowing, but you can’t tell how fierce the storm really is.
Reposted by PoliDashboard
The Cracker Barrel story should serve as a reminder that "What a journalist can discern from publicly available social media data is not exactly what is typically thought of as 'public opinion.'”
We & our colleagues outlined this problem back in 2018. policyoptions.irpp.org/2018/09/when...
We & our colleagues outlined this problem back in 2018. policyoptions.irpp.org/2018/09/when...
When journalists report social media as public opinion
As digital data about people grows, journalists are increasingly turning to social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to find information. One trend in journalism, particularly in political ...
policyoptions.irpp.org
September 27, 2025 at 12:55 AM
The Cracker Barrel story should serve as a reminder that "What a journalist can discern from publicly available social media data is not exactly what is typically thought of as 'public opinion.'”
We & our colleagues outlined this problem back in 2018. policyoptions.irpp.org/2018/09/when...
We & our colleagues outlined this problem back in 2018. policyoptions.irpp.org/2018/09/when...
Reposted by PoliDashboard
"Cracker Barrel Outrage Was Almost Certainly Driven by Bots, Researchers Say" gizmodo.com/cracker-barr...
Cracker Barrel Outrage Was Almost Certainly Driven by Bots, Researchers Say
Doesn't that make more sense than lots of people caring about Cracker Barrel?
gizmodo.com
September 27, 2025 at 12:35 AM
"Cracker Barrel Outrage Was Almost Certainly Driven by Bots, Researchers Say" gizmodo.com/cracker-barr...
Reposted by PoliDashboard
Here's a peek at who has been trying to sway Americans on Facebook and Instagram over the past seven days. app.polidashboard.org/meta_ads?cou...
September 23, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Here's a peek at who has been trying to sway Americans on Facebook and Instagram over the past seven days. app.polidashboard.org/meta_ads?cou...
Reposted by PoliDashboard
Scammers are targeting seniors again. When we released our new @polidashboard.org app for tracking political ads, we did not expect that it could also be used to detect financial & other types of fraudulent activities on Meta’s advertising platforms.
socialmedialab.ca/2025/07/29/p...
socialmedialab.ca/2025/07/29/p...
September 13, 2025 at 2:37 AM
Scammers are targeting seniors again. When we released our new @polidashboard.org app for tracking political ads, we did not expect that it could also be used to detect financial & other types of fraudulent activities on Meta’s advertising platforms.
socialmedialab.ca/2025/07/29/p...
socialmedialab.ca/2025/07/29/p...
Reposted by PoliDashboard
This year proved the courts won’t save America. Next year might prove the ballot box alone won’t either. That’s not a reason to give up, it’s a reason to dig in. The system won’t fix itself. Democracy only works if we fight for it, together. Keep showing up. Keep speaking out. Keep building power.
August 6, 2025 at 3:34 AM
This year proved the courts won’t save America. Next year might prove the ballot box alone won’t either. That’s not a reason to give up, it’s a reason to dig in. The system won’t fix itself. Democracy only works if we fight for it, together. Keep showing up. Keep speaking out. Keep building power.
Reposted by PoliDashboard
"If you can't win the game, change the rules."
Donald Trump has encouraged the governor of Texas to pursue a controversial plan that could boost the number of Republican seats in the state by as many as five, as he tries to keep Republican control of the US House of Representatives in next year’s midterm elections. on.ft.com/4mnfWK8
August 6, 2025 at 3:19 AM
"If you can't win the game, change the rules."
Reposted by PoliDashboard
Meta just gave advertisers wider access to "Meta’s Value Rules," a new tool to let advertiser fine-tune and target nich audience who are likely to buy their products. (Note: product can also be a social issue or policy position.) www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-ad...
A Look at Meta’s ‘Value Rules’ for Specific Ad-Targeting Approaches
You may have noticed “Value Rules” appear as a new option in your Meta ads setup.
www.socialmediatoday.com
August 6, 2025 at 3:11 AM
Meta just gave advertisers wider access to "Meta’s Value Rules," a new tool to let advertiser fine-tune and target nich audience who are likely to buy their products. (Note: product can also be a social issue or policy position.) www.socialmediatoday.com/news/meta-ad...
Reposted by PoliDashboard
@PoliDashboard.org Launches Major Update to Advance Transparency in Political Advertising on Facebook & Instagram.
- AI-Generated Ad Summaries
- Semantic Ad Search
- Advanced Data Filtering
- Enhanced Demographics Visualization w/ Interactive Demographic Drilldowns
socialmedialab.ca/2025/07/29/p...
- AI-Generated Ad Summaries
- Semantic Ad Search
- Advanced Data Filtering
- Enhanced Demographics Visualization w/ Interactive Demographic Drilldowns
socialmedialab.ca/2025/07/29/p...
PoliDashboard Launches Major Update to Advance Transparency in Political Advertising On Facebook and Instagram - Social Media Lab
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJuly 25, 2025 Toronto, ON — The Social Media Lab at Toronto Metropolitan University is pleased to announce a major update to PoliDashboard.org, a free public web app that enhances...
socialmedialab.ca
July 29, 2025 at 8:12 PM
@PoliDashboard.org Launches Major Update to Advance Transparency in Political Advertising on Facebook & Instagram.
- AI-Generated Ad Summaries
- Semantic Ad Search
- Advanced Data Filtering
- Enhanced Demographics Visualization w/ Interactive Demographic Drilldowns
socialmedialab.ca/2025/07/29/p...
- AI-Generated Ad Summaries
- Semantic Ad Search
- Advanced Data Filtering
- Enhanced Demographics Visualization w/ Interactive Demographic Drilldowns
socialmedialab.ca/2025/07/29/p...
Reposted by PoliDashboard
Here's a peek at what we're working on for @PoliDashboard.org, our app for tracking ads re: political, election, & social issues on FB/IG.
1) semantic and keyword search of all ads for a particular country & 2) a summary of the advertiser's entire ad portfolio/campaign. #transparency #TargetedAds
1) semantic and keyword search of all ads for a particular country & 2) a summary of the advertiser's entire ad portfolio/campaign. #transparency #TargetedAds
June 13, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Here's a peek at what we're working on for @PoliDashboard.org, our app for tracking ads re: political, election, & social issues on FB/IG.
1) semantic and keyword search of all ads for a particular country & 2) a summary of the advertiser's entire ad portfolio/campaign. #transparency #TargetedAds
1) semantic and keyword search of all ads for a particular country & 2) a summary of the advertiser's entire ad portfolio/campaign. #transparency #TargetedAds
Reposted by PoliDashboard
Giving water to people in line to vote in the US is illegal. But "Billionaire Elon Musk can hand out million-dollar checks to two voters in Wisconsin and promised smaller payments to others who help elect a conservative candidate to the state's top court" www.reuters.com/world/us/mus...
Musk gives away two $1 million checks to Wisconsin voters in high profile judicial race
Billionaire Elon Musk on Sunday handed out million-dollar checks to two voters in Wisconsin and promised smaller payments to others who help elect a conservative candidate to the state's top court in a closely watched election.
www.reuters.com
March 31, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Giving water to people in line to vote in the US is illegal. But "Billionaire Elon Musk can hand out million-dollar checks to two voters in Wisconsin and promised smaller payments to others who help elect a conservative candidate to the state's top court" www.reuters.com/world/us/mus...
Reposted by PoliDashboard
“Our goal is to make political ad data more accessible & meaningful—not just for researchers & journalists, but for anyone who wants to see how digital platforms are being used to shape pub. opinion. Transparency is the first step toward accountability.” - @gruzd.ca socialmedialab.ca/2025/03/31/p...
PoliDashboard.org Launches with Powerful New Features to Track Political Ads on Facebook and Instagram— Just in Time for the 2025 Canadian Federal Election - Social Media Lab
[Toronto, Ontario] — [March 31, 2025] — As the 2025 Canadian federal election gets underway, the newly redesigned PoliDashboard.org arrives at a crucial moment, providing timely tools to track and ana...
socialmedialab.ca
March 31, 2025 at 12:34 PM
“Our goal is to make political ad data more accessible & meaningful—not just for researchers & journalists, but for anyone who wants to see how digital platforms are being used to shape pub. opinion. Transparency is the first step toward accountability.” - @gruzd.ca socialmedialab.ca/2025/03/31/p...
Reposted by PoliDashboard
PoliDashboard.org Launches with Powerful New Features to Track Political Ads on Facebook and Instagram — Just in Time for the 2025 Canadian Federal Election socialmedialab.ca/2025/03/31/p... #cdnpoli #elbowsup
March 31, 2025 at 11:49 AM
PoliDashboard.org Launches with Powerful New Features to Track Political Ads on Facebook and Instagram — Just in Time for the 2025 Canadian Federal Election socialmedialab.ca/2025/03/31/p... #cdnpoli #elbowsup
Reposted by PoliDashboard
TikTok Canada Launches Election Centre for Federal Election: "TikTok users in Canada will encounter prompts directing them to the Election Centre when engaging with election-related content or searches, such as 'Canada Election 2025” and “Federal Election.'" www.iphoneincanada.ca/2025/03/24/t...
TikTok Canada Launches Election Centre for 2025 Federal Election • iPhone in Canada Blog
TikTok Canada has just announced the launch of an in-app Election Centre aimed at providing users with accurate and authoritative election information.
www.iphoneincanada.ca
March 25, 2025 at 1:22 PM
TikTok Canada Launches Election Centre for Federal Election: "TikTok users in Canada will encounter prompts directing them to the Election Centre when engaging with election-related content or searches, such as 'Canada Election 2025” and “Federal Election.'" www.iphoneincanada.ca/2025/03/24/t...
Reposted by PoliDashboard
As expected:
- X usage in Canada continues to decline: 42% in 2020, 40% in 2022, and 37% in 2025.
- There are fewer left-leaning Canadians on X than center and right-leaning Canadians.
Stay tuned for more details in our upcoming report the “State of Social Media in Canada 2025” (ETA 04/2025)
- X usage in Canada continues to decline: 42% in 2020, 40% in 2022, and 37% in 2025.
- There are fewer left-leaning Canadians on X than center and right-leaning Canadians.
Stay tuned for more details in our upcoming report the “State of Social Media in Canada 2025” (ETA 04/2025)
March 12, 2025 at 3:37 PM
As expected:
- X usage in Canada continues to decline: 42% in 2020, 40% in 2022, and 37% in 2025.
- There are fewer left-leaning Canadians on X than center and right-leaning Canadians.
Stay tuned for more details in our upcoming report the “State of Social Media in Canada 2025” (ETA 04/2025)
- X usage in Canada continues to decline: 42% in 2020, 40% in 2022, and 37% in 2025.
- There are fewer left-leaning Canadians on X than center and right-leaning Canadians.
Stay tuned for more details in our upcoming report the “State of Social Media in Canada 2025” (ETA 04/2025)
Reposted by PoliDashboard
Some of our new followers may be wondering why a social media research lab—one that primarily focuses on sharing insights about social media research and the latest developments in social media platforms—also engages with political topics.
"This is the kind of thing tech and law reporters spot immediately, because we’ve seen this all play out before. When someone talks about “free speech” while actively working to control speech, that’s not a contradiction or a mistake — it’s the point." www.techdirt.com/2025/03/04/w...
Why Techdirt Is Now A Democracy Blog (Whether We Like It Or Not)
While political reporters are still doing their view-from-nowhere “Democrats say this, Republicans say that” dance, tech and legal journalists have been watching an unfortunately recogn…
www.techdirt.com
March 6, 2025 at 4:04 AM
Some of our new followers may be wondering why a social media research lab—one that primarily focuses on sharing insights about social media research and the latest developments in social media platforms—also engages with political topics.
Reposted by PoliDashboard
"There's an old saying in diplomatic circles: 'If you are not at the table, you are on the table.'
Hard to believe it's 2025, and two superpowers are meeting to split up a sovereign nation—like colonialism never went out of style. #Ukraine
Hard to believe it's 2025, and two superpowers are meeting to split up a sovereign nation—like colonialism never went out of style. #Ukraine
February 18, 2025 at 12:08 PM
"There's an old saying in diplomatic circles: 'If you are not at the table, you are on the table.'
Hard to believe it's 2025, and two superpowers are meeting to split up a sovereign nation—like colonialism never went out of style. #Ukraine
Hard to believe it's 2025, and two superpowers are meeting to split up a sovereign nation—like colonialism never went out of style. #Ukraine
Reposted by PoliDashboard
What’s the loss of a few million lives when proving a point takes priority?
I was once a child refugee, surviving on USAID rations—without them, my family would have perished. I will never understand the deep-seated cruelty some people carry in their hearts.
I was once a child refugee, surviving on USAID rations—without them, my family would have perished. I will never understand the deep-seated cruelty some people carry in their hearts.
USAID used to buy $2B worth of food from US farmers. Now, their food is just rotting away as poor people starve. And next year, many of these same farmers will be farming for government subsidies instead of food. www.washingtonpost.com/politics/202...
Gutting USAID threatens billions of dollars for U.S. farms, businesses
U.S. businesses that sold goods and services to USAID are in limbo, including American farms dealing in rice, wheat and soybeans.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 8, 2025 at 11:12 PM
What’s the loss of a few million lives when proving a point takes priority?
I was once a child refugee, surviving on USAID rations—without them, my family would have perished. I will never understand the deep-seated cruelty some people carry in their hearts.
I was once a child refugee, surviving on USAID rations—without them, my family would have perished. I will never understand the deep-seated cruelty some people carry in their hearts.
Reposted by PoliDashboard
Remember when televisions in public spaces—airports, bus stations, military bases, and even waiting rooms—were almost always tuned to CNN. It was the default backdrop, shaping the way travelers, service members, and commuters absorbed the day’s news.
This is not your regular changing of the guards.
- NYT, NBC, NPR & Politico are out at the Pentagon.
- NY Post, OANN, Breitbart & HuffPost are in.
And #ICYMI the Pentagon is pausing official social media accounts worldwide for review. www.nbcnews.com/investigatio...
- NYT, NBC, NPR & Politico are out at the Pentagon.
- NY Post, OANN, Breitbart & HuffPost are in.
And #ICYMI the Pentagon is pausing official social media accounts worldwide for review. www.nbcnews.com/investigatio...
February 1, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Remember when televisions in public spaces—airports, bus stations, military bases, and even waiting rooms—were almost always tuned to CNN. It was the default backdrop, shaping the way travelers, service members, and commuters absorbed the day’s news.
Reposted by PoliDashboard
Democrats still communicate like it’s the Clinton era, relying on press conferences and stale press releases that mirror the party’s aging leadership. Few are willing—or able—to engage on social media authentically without staff mefiating and filtering their words.
February 1, 2025 at 4:32 AM
Democrats still communicate like it’s the Clinton era, relying on press conferences and stale press releases that mirror the party’s aging leadership. Few are willing—or able—to engage on social media authentically without staff mefiating and filtering their words.
Reposted by PoliDashboard
There's not a table big enough ... "Canada’s Freeland Calls for Summit of Nations Targeted by Trump" www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Canada’s Freeland Calls for Summit of Nations Bullied By Trump
A key candidate running to replace Justin Trudeau as Canada’s prime minister is calling for an international summit to hammer out a joint response to US President Donald Trump’s tariff and sovereignty...
www.bloomberg.com
January 28, 2025 at 9:11 PM
There's not a table big enough ... "Canada’s Freeland Calls for Summit of Nations Targeted by Trump" www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Reposted by PoliDashboard
OPM just unveiled a new deferred resignation program for most full-time federal employees: www.opm.gov/fork. The announcement feels like something straight out of @theonion.com though it might need a title change. Instead of "Fork in the Road," a more fitting name might be "Our Way or the Highway."
Fork in the RoadLock
Welcome to opm.gov
www.opm.gov
January 29, 2025 at 12:38 AM
OPM just unveiled a new deferred resignation program for most full-time federal employees: www.opm.gov/fork. The announcement feels like something straight out of @theonion.com though it might need a title change. Instead of "Fork in the Road," a more fitting name might be "Our Way or the Highway."
Reposted by PoliDashboard
90% of X's Community Notes never see daylight. As with many of our other projects such as @polidashboard.org & @deepfakestracker.org, our aim with this new "X Misleading and Manipulated Media Dashboard" app is to make the invisible visible. #transparency #accountability #medialitteracy
Check out our new app for tracking media on X that Community Notes members have labelled as misleading or manipulated.
cn.deepfakestracker.org
cn.deepfakestracker.org
January 28, 2025 at 3:51 PM
90% of X's Community Notes never see daylight. As with many of our other projects such as @polidashboard.org & @deepfakestracker.org, our aim with this new "X Misleading and Manipulated Media Dashboard" app is to make the invisible visible. #transparency #accountability #medialitteracy
Reposted by PoliDashboard
If you read one thing this weekend, make it this: a comprehensive new study that examines how autocracies endure. Lots of insights into what Americans are up against.
Key takeaway: "Media indoctrination and the suppression of civil liberties are the strongest predictors of autocratic survival."
Key takeaway: "Media indoctrination and the suppression of civil liberties are the strongest predictors of autocratic survival."
How do autocrats stay in power?
Our new research dives into the strategies of political control—repression, co-optation, and indoctrination—used across 229 autocracies from 1946 to 2010. What we found will change the way you think about authoritarian resilience. 🧵👇
Our new research dives into the strategies of political control—repression, co-optation, and indoctrination—used across 229 autocracies from 1946 to 2010. What we found will change the way you think about authoritarian resilience. 🧵👇
January 25, 2025 at 2:28 PM
If you read one thing this weekend, make it this: a comprehensive new study that examines how autocracies endure. Lots of insights into what Americans are up against.
Key takeaway: "Media indoctrination and the suppression of civil liberties are the strongest predictors of autocratic survival."
Key takeaway: "Media indoctrination and the suppression of civil liberties are the strongest predictors of autocratic survival."
Reposted by PoliDashboard
It's the first day after the inauguration, but the campaign for your heart and mind is never over. Here's who trying to influence you and your family with Meta ads. Click on any advertisers in @polidashboard.org & explore. All the charts are interactive. app.polidashboard.org/facebook_ads...
January 22, 2025 at 3:34 AM
It's the first day after the inauguration, but the campaign for your heart and mind is never over. Here's who trying to influence you and your family with Meta ads. Click on any advertisers in @polidashboard.org & explore. All the charts are interactive. app.polidashboard.org/facebook_ads...