Ten Years of Learning on HowOnlineAdvertising Builds Brands. Darkadsareads that are not immediately visible on the sender's timeline or profile, but are purposefully shown to specific audiences. Dark posts, or darkads, are unpublished content that is promoted as an ad to a specific subset of your audience. They are called dark posts because they aren’t actually published and won’t appear on the publisher’s timeline like organic posts or paid ads. Modern campaigns rely heavily on social media platforms, leveraging associative ad models that tap into beliefs or interests to deliver digital advertising. The term “darkads” may sound ominous, but darkadvertisements that are mindful and ethical can shed light on who your customers really are and what they respond to. Learn howmisleadingads work, the warning signs to watch for, and how to protect your money and personal information. HowDarkAds differ from conventional advertising. Conventional advertising places a message in a broadly accessible space—television, radio, outdoor boards, or the public feed of a social platform. DarkAds, by contrast, are tailored, nuanced, and often ephemeral. These darkadsare made to be seen by specific groups but unviewable by others; some may refer to them as microtargeting or nano-targeting.The aim of the adswas lowering voter turnout for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, Bloomberg reported.