Facebook will now be using data from its “Like button and similar social features” in its interest-based ads, the social network giant has announced.
Although many outsiders assumed this was taking place already, the like information will now be officially used to help make ads more relevant to users.
User control
Users will have an elevated level of control over the ads that appear on their news feeds by being given tools to turn them off. Users will then be able to opt out across over 100 companies, including the Digital Advertising Alliance AdChoices program. Ad controls on Facebook mobile apps provide a similar function.
Facebook said: “If you choose to use this tool, it will become the master control for online interest-based advertising across all of your devices and browsers where you use Facebook.
“If you’ve already made a choice about online interest-based ads using existing tools, you don’t need to do anything. We’ll continue to honour your choice across all of your devices and browsers where you use Facebook. And we’ll of course continue to support the Digital Advertising Alliance, as well as the iOS and Android tools going forward.”
Facebook Note
In a post on the Notes section of its website, Facebook further explained the thinking behind the latest move.
“We sometimes hear from people that the ads they see aren’t as useful or relevant to them as they could be. Last year, we introduced online interest-based advertising – ads based on people’s use of other websites and apps – that helps solve this problem. For example, with online interest-based ads, if you visit hotel and airline websites to research an upcoming trip, you might then see ads for travel deals on Facebook.”
The post then announced the new tool: “Today, we’re introducing an additional way for people to turn off this kind of advertising from the ad settings page right on Facebook. If you choose to use this tool, it will become the master control for online interest-based advertising across all of your devices and browsers where you use Facebook.”
