This paper is designed to provide background information on the aims and methods of the Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S) Australian Ad Observatory research project.

This research project investigated the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on people living in Australia, with a particular focus on their experiences, perceptions and practices—especially in terms of tracking technologies (the COVIDSafe app, the use of QR codes), masks and other prosocial techniques.

This project develops a model for providing accountability for 'dark ads' on Australia’s most popular social media platform, Facebook. By showing what accountability looks like, the research reminds us just how dramatically the online advertising environment has shifted.