# Ad Observer

> Share the ads you see on Facebook and YouTube with researchers and journalists to increase transparency.

Canonical page: [https://chrome-stats.com/d/ad-observer](https://chrome-stats.com/d/ad-observer)

## Overview

- **ID:** `ad-observer`
- **Platform:** Firefox
- **Type:** Firefox add-on
- **Status:** Available
- **Publisher:** Online Political Transparency Project at NYU
- **Category:** privacy-security,social-communication
- **Daily users:** 509
- **Weekly downloads:** 1
- **Rating:** 3.90 / 5 (21 ratings)
- **Version:** 3.2.14
- **Last updated:** 2022-11-14
- **First published:** 2020-07-21
- **Size:** 532 KB
- **Data as of:** 2026-09-06
- **Store listing:** [Firefox Add-ons Store](https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/ad-observer/)
- **Website:** [https://adobserver.org](https://adobserver.org/)
- **Privacy policy:** [https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/ad-observer/privacy/](https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/ad-observer/privacy/)

## Description

Ad Observer is a powerful Chrome extension designed to increase transparency in online political advertising. It enables users to share ads they encounter on Facebook and YouTube with researchers, journalists, and the public. By collecting data on targeted ads, the extension helps uncover how personal information is leveraged for advertising purposes. 

Developed by New York University's Cybersecurity for Democracy project in partnership with the Algorithmic Transparency Institute, Ad Observer has exposed targeted and discriminatory ad campaigns, such as political ads tailored to niche interests and discriminatory job advertisements. This tool empowers users to contribute to research and public knowledge surrounding online ad targeting and its societal impacts.

## Rankings

- #4,985 — Overall
- #23 — server
- #25 — ad
- #27 — increase
- #60 — ads
- #74 — algorithm

## Permissions and access

### Permissions

- `storage`
- `unlimitedStorage`

### Content script matches

- `*.facebook.com`
- `www.youtube.com`

## Safety

- **Risk impact:** High risk impact
- **Risk likelihood:** Low risk likelihood

### Analysis details

- Request access to the following domains: facebook.com, youtube.com
- This extension has low user count. Unpopular extensions may not be stable or safe.

> Some risk analysis details are omitted from this free response. [Upgrade to view the full analysis](https://chrome-stats.com/pricing).

## Review summary

### Pros

- Good idea and will hopefully generate useful data.
- Supports democracy and research initiatives.
- Created by a team from reputable universities and supported by non-profits.

### Cons

- The project has been closed due to funding shortfalls.
- Causes compatibility issues with other services like YouTube TV on Firefox Linux.

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Source: [Chrome-Stats](https://chrome-stats.com/d/ad-observer)