Should Facebook Users Worry About Ad Snooping?
from the probably-not dept
The New York Times's Bits blog points us to an interview with Esther Dyson in which she raises questions about the way social networking sites (especially Facebook) are planning use customers' data. She seems like she might be lumping together two different issues that ought to be kept separate. If she's simply saying that Facebook should get permission before sharing private user data with advertisers, it's hard to argue with that. But she seems to be making the broader claim that Facebook shouldn't even use private information to choose ads on its own site without getting the user's permission first. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. The information is already on Facebook's servers, so it's not likely to create new security risks to have the advertising algorithm take the information into account. Moreover, targeted ads can be chosen without ever giving advertisers access to anybody's private information. A shoe store might, for example, ask to have its advertising displayed to every Facebook user who's under 35, female, and within 50 miles of the 63105 area code. The shoe store would never get a list of Facebook users who met that criteria, nor would they be given the specific age or zip code of people who click on the ad. Rather, Facebook's own software would automatically display those ads and then bill the shoe store based on the number of impressions or clicks that were generated.
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Filed Under: advertising, behavioral targeting, esther dyson
Companies: facebook
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Perhaps
1) Let's assume the ads shown on John Doe's Facebook pages are based his publicly viewable data (stats, interests, comments, etc) on the assumption that his friends share similar interests. No harm, no foul. Nothing new is revealed to anyone about John or about any viewer of his page.
2) Let's assume the ads shown on John's Facebook pages are based in part on his private information (again assuming his friends' may have likes in common). This could suggest aspects of John's life that he doesn't want publicly known. Potential for some risk to John.
3) Let's assume the ads shown on John's Facebook pages are based in part or whole on a particular viewer's private information. This would provide the best ad targetting and on the face of it would seem harmless assuming only that viewer would see the ads. However, a user could be viewing John's profile in the company of others and the ads could be potentially revealing. Potential risk to the viewer, but the same risk they face viewing targetted/tracked ads all over the net.
I'd say scenario two is worth some consideration, but is so slight a risk as to be dismissed.
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Re: Perhaps
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Re: Re: Perhaps
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Nunya bidness, I say...
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Ehh
If you were an advertiser for Lane Bryant would you pay for your ads going to a skinny male audience? Using the current session vars for the ads would set them apart and bring more revenue. Skateboard lovers getting ads for Skateboards. Musicians getting ads for instruments. Heck - Fans of the band "Daughtry" getting ads from Ticket Master to buy tickets to the show down the street -- thats the kind of advertisement I want.
Currently, I'm getting a Facebook Flyer thats all in German and Ads like "Free Coach Purse -- Click here!" so I welcome the change.
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No?
Also, who says the only viewers of a heavy woman's profile are skinny men? Most of the repeat viewers will be her friends, family, classmates, and people who feel they have something in common with her. Maybe she likes and wears Lane Bryant. Maybe she looks good in it. Maybe her friends and family will follow the links to buy outfits for her. Maybe other heavy women will follow the links to buy their own outfits because she's so fine.
Anyway, I think you seriously misinterpreted my post. I never said these are the ways they would or should target ads. I said consider these potential means of using members data to target ads and whether they have any privacy issues.
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Love Targeted Advertisements
As a business owner, the only proof that your targeted ads will reach the right customers will be shown in your sales figures. They could provide me with raw data but it wouldn't be proof to me. We all know numbers can be played with to accomplish anything we want.
If I was a Facebook member I would not mind anyone using my raw unpersonalized data to better serve me up targeted ads, but how far is a company going to go? Would they start prying into my personal messages and profile to get a more precise target? Where is the line drawn?
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Imagine
One morning Facebook decides to start using your private data to target their campaigns. In your private messages to friends you've discussed the beauty of Bonaire and how wonderful the hotel is. By coincidence both the island and the hotel are running ad compaigns and offering reduced rates trying to encourage travel and tourism. My what a wonderful chance for Facebook to provide your friends, associates, and page visitors-in-general with a reduced cost opportunity to visit you.
Repeated graphic ads advertising "Come visit us at the Hotel Bonaire, only $100 a night through December," and "Visit the beautiful island of Bonaire," raise suspicion. The ad that takes the cake though is the personalized one that tells your hunters, "Come visit the beautiful island of Bonaire and experience the luxury of the Hotel Bonaire. Your friend loves it, and so will you! Only $100 a night through December."
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Ummm
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It's still the same
What difference does it make if a server or a human "scans" your mail? The result is the same. The application of computer technology to do the same thing that a human could does not automatically it different (despite what many patent holders seem to think).
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