Show HN: Simple script to cripple personalized targeting from Facebook

    const wait = () => new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));
    const getElementsByAriaLabel = (label) => document.querySelectorAll(`[aria-label="${label}"]`);
    const getElementsByRoleAndWidth = (role, width) =>
        Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(`[role="${role}"]`)).filter(el => el.clientWidth === width);
    const getElementsByText = (text) => Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('*')).filter(el =>
        Array.from(el.childNodes).some(node => node.nodeType === Node.TEXT_NODE && node.textContent.includes(text))
    );

    async function clickAndWait(elem) {
        if (!elem)
            return;
        elem.click();
        await wait();
    }

    await clickAndWait(getElementsByText("See more")[0]);

    const ads = getElementsByRoleAndWidth('listitem', 508);

    for (const ad of ads) {
        console.log(ad.childNodes[0].textContent)
        await clickAndWait(ad.childNodes[0]);

        await clickAndWait(getElementsByText('They uploaded or used a list to reach you.')[0]);

        const dont_allow_btns = getElementsByText('Don\'t allow');
        for (const btn of dont_allow_btns) {
            btn.click();
        }
        await wait();

        await clickAndWait(getElementsByAriaLabel('Back')[2]);
        await clickAndWait(getElementsByAriaLabel('Back')[2]);
    }

My hack is to live in a country where the local language is not my own, and not the one I have set in my Facebook settings.

As a result, Facebook rarely has advertisements that can target me, because my language has been filtered out by the advertisers.

When one does appear, it’s nearly always in the local language, so I’m kind of deaf to it and I’m not going to actively respond to anyway.

Luckily they haven’t figured that out yet, even though I’ve been an Facebook user for many years.

[0] https://www.theregister.com/2024/05/02/meta_facebook_tool/

[1] https://slate.com/technology/2021/10/facebook-unfollow-every...

[1] https://adnauseam.io/

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  Uncaught SyntaxError: await is only valid in async functions, async generators and modules

Also, these scripts break often as they depend on observable behaviors that are not contracts. It's Hyrum's law again.

How's this technique compare to just staying logged out of Facebook? Or using it solely in a sandboxed browsing environment?

I recall some surprising legal outcomes in recent years, for example jail for posting fake Yelp reviews. Anyone know of any case law for this sort of scripting?

Question, could someone explain the exact impact this would have for Facebook & a person's experience with ads?

I kinda have a few guesses, but am curious if anyone can weigh in with more info, how this is crippling and overall what the effect should be. Thanks!

VM172:14 Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'click') at <anonymous>:14:71 (anonymous) @ VM172:14

and this on Chrome on macOS: TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'click') at <anonymous>:14:71

(for some that is a relief for others it is serious)