Sphinn - Facebook Collects User Data and Makes Money from it under False Pretenses

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Facebook Collects User Data and Makes Money from it under False Pretenses

Went Hot: November 26, 2007 - 3:28 pm
Posted By: DoshDosh 588 days ago
Topic Type: News Story (Jump to http://www.calacanis.com)
Category: Networking

The only problem with Facebook's opt-in advertising system is that the users who they are selling to marketers didn't really opt-in. What they did do was fill out a profile in which they said they "liked Guitar Hero," not that they "would like to get Guitar Hero" advertising. Subtle difference, but an important one.

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from freezinghot 588 days ago #

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Wonderful post. Thanks.

from rotatedspectrum 587 days ago #

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Thanks. I know it's a tough topic for some, but I think that in the 'web 2.0' world people need to assume, unless otherwise stated (and even then) that any info they put on any website will be used for marketing, statistics, data collection, etc...

I'd say if you join facebook, you opted in. And at that I think facebook ads are pretty much ignored anyway. People know where to look for what they want and don't really notice the ads.

from jasoncalacanis 587 days ago #

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Thanks for the feedback.

Agreed that a large % of folks will not care, however the average user is not the only benchmark for corporate behavior and best practices.