Facebook to use profile information to target ads

Filed under: Business, Internet, Social Software

Facebook to use profile information to target ads

by Peter White Aug 23rd 2007

Facebook knows you. It knows you well. You tell it all about yourself. When you're down, you talk to it, and it makes you feel better again. But it seems like Facebook may have had an ulterior motive. It wasn't just listening to be a good friend, but instead it seems it will use this information to try to sell you stuff! What a shocker! It's like The Sixth Sense all over again! Who could possibly have seen this coming? Oh right. Everyone. It shouldn't be a huge surprise that Facebook plans to start using the information that users supply to help marketers target users with specific interests. It was really only a matter of time.

The more interesting part of the plan is that Facebook is going to try to go all Miss Cleo on us. They're going to attempt to determine what you might like to buy in the future, based on the information you've already supplied. Seems like a difficult task, but if there's anything that can predict the future, I guess it's Facebook. The plan seems to have some cash behind it, with reports indicating that the upscale clientele Facebook has is bumping up the advertising rate. So, regardless of whether they can get the crystal ball working or not, it looks like they'll at least make a ton of money.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Todd said 1:02PM on 8-23-2007

Not a new concept, Digg has been using profile data to push ads since 2005:

http://digg.com/privacy

Gmail and Yahoo! Mail read the text of your email to generate ads ( creating come weird results with my mail, let me tell you! ).

My tolerance for Facebook's proposal, and the current Digg/Gmail/Yahoo ad push triggers is pretty high. But I recently found out that the corporation that own the apartment complex I live sold all us tenants addresses to a junk mailer - THAT is not cool and was not in the lease agreement.

If you want creepy "predictive advertising" try Google's proposed set top box that sees and counts the bodies in the room, judges gender by body shape and pushes ads:

http://tinyurl.com/2z2nev

Mr Tibor said 2:04PM on 8-23-2007

Myspace has been doing this for awhile...

roycifer said 3:28PM on 8-23-2007

doesnt everyone do this? targeted advertising.

thehack said 9:28AM on 8-24-2007

This more then the normal targeted advertising which takes whats on the screen on turns it into ad content based on the content of the page. This looking at your interestes and selling accordingly. I don;t really have a problem with it. As long as Facebooks security stays tight...wait didn;t they have breach.

http://geekwonk.com/

Ethan said 9:28AM on 8-24-2007

If it means I won't be asked if I want to dress my zwinky anymore, I'm all for it.

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