The state is spending more and more money on Facebook

Facebook net giants adsFacebook. Photo: pixabay.com

Norwegian authorities pay Facebook more and more money to spread posts. Social Scientists believe it could be problematic.

 

The ministries’ use of money on sponsored posts on social media increases all the time. Over the past three years, the ministries have gone from spending almost nothing to over 250,000 kroner on paid content, shows a questionnaire Aftenposten newspaper has conducted.

“Sponsored content can be problematic because the administration doesn’t pay for what is defined as a political message,” said media researcher, Kjersti Thorbjørnsrud at the Department of Social Research to the newspaper.

Researcher Bente Kalsnes believes the departments’ change in the use of advertising circuits has consequences for the traditional media.

“In many businesses and organizations today, we see that advertising money that previously served as a form of media support is on its way to being transferred to social media and Silicon Valley companies,” she said.

In Aftenposten’s questionnaire, the Ministry of Climate and Environment,the Ministry of Local Government and Modernization, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food did not respond.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today