Ad Observer
Share the ads you see on Facebook and YouTube with researchers and journalists to increase transparency.
Ad Observer: Increase Transparency in Online Political Ads
'Ad Observer' is a Firefox add-on tool developed by the Cybersecurity for Democracy project and the Algorithmic Transparency Institute. It allows users to share the ads they encounter on Facebook and YouTube with researchers, journalists, and the public. Its primary purpose is to better understand online political advertising and personal data usage, shine a light on ad-targeting processes, and enhance overall online ad transparency.
Add-on stats
Manifest V2
Rating: 4.00 
(23)
Weekly download count: 3
Firefox on Android: No
Permissions:
- storage
- unlimitedStorage
Size: 544.65K
Email: de*****@adobserver.org
URLs: Website ,Privacy policy
Full description: See detailed description
Ranking
Other platforms
Not available on Android
Not available on Edge
User reviews
These summaries are automatically generated weekly using AI based on recent user reviews.
Firefox Browser Add-ons does not verify user reviews, so some user reviews may be inaccurate,
spammy, or outdated. Pros
- Good idea that could generate useful data
- Support for democracy through user participation
- Developed by reputable institutions (NYU and non-profits)
Cons
- Project has been mothballed due to funding shortfall
- Caused functional issues with other services (e.g., Youtube TV)
Most mentioned
- Project closure due to funding issues
- Impact on functionality of other services
- Positive impact on democracy and data generation
User reviews
by 敬念法轮大法好远离疫情, 2025-02-09
"Transition to Static
"Based on a funding shortfall, NYU Cybersecurity for Democracy have come to the difficult decision to mothball the ongoing Ad Observatory project.."
Appears this project has been closed, see https://adobservatory.org/transition-to-static
by jasonbrown1965, 2024-04-04
Add-on safety
Risk impact
Ad Observer requires some sensitive permissions that could impact your browser and data security. Exercise caution before installing.
Risk impact analysis details
- Critical Request access to the following domains: facebook.com, youtube.com
- High ******* ******* **** *** ****** ***** *** ***** ** ******* **** ********* ********* ** * *********** *****
Risk likelihood
We don't have sufficient data to confidently determine the risk likelihood of Ad Observer. Use it at your own risk.
Risk likelihood analysis details
- High This extension has low user count. Unpopular extensions may not be stable or safe.
- Low **** ********* *** ******* **** **** * ****** **** ***** ******** *** **** ****** ** ** ****** *** *****
- Low **** ********* *** ***** **** **** * ****** **** ***** ********** *** **** ****** ** ** ****** *** *****
- Good **** ********* *** **** **** *******
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