Facebook Adds Ads To News Feed

Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by DCTech · 2012-01-11 03:15 · Score: 4, Informative

The article clearly notes (and shows screenshot) that the ads that will be displayed on your news feed are from pages you have liked. I only like pages I want to get updated information from (like Team Fortress 2 and some bands), and I get their news updates already. So what's the problem?

Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 03:19 · Score: 2

Sure that's how it works now, low load, gage effectiveness, then at some point a company strolls a long with an obscene bag of money and next thing you know every fifth item in the stream is "sponsored".
They've done it on Twitter already...
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Blue+Stone · 2012-01-11 03:30 · Score: 4, Interesting

Yeah, this seems reasonable, particularly if you know now that "Liking" a company's page will get their marketing served to you.
If someone doesn't like this, all they have to do is stop liking commercial organisation's web pages.
I don't, however, think that the one sponsored article per day limit will last very long. Facebook has a long and established track record for continually breaking self-imposed limits and boundaries.

--
Corporation, n. An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility. - Ambrose Bierce
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 03:34 · Score: 5, Funny

Enlarge your penis 4 inches in just two weeks!
Your fiance and 17 others like this
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Scutter · 2012-01-11 03:35 · Score: 3, Informative

The article clearly notes (and shows screenshot) that the ads that will be displayed on your news feed are from pages you have liked. I only like pages I want to get updated information from (like Team Fortress 2 and some bands), and I get their news updates already. So what's the problem?
The article seems to suggest that your friends will see it in their news feed (of you) if you've shared it with them in the past.

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"Tell me doctor, with all of your defenses, are there any provisions for an attack by killer bees?"
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Soluzar · 2012-01-11 03:43 · Score: 1

I don't check Facebook unless someone reminds me to, but you may be assured that I'll unlike all the commercial pages I've ever chosen to like when next I visit.
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by sakdoctor · 2012-01-11 03:45 · Score: 1

But if I don't promiscuously "like" commercial organisation's pages, I won't get all the free sweet nothings they're offering.
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 03:45 · Score: 1

My company owns a patent on penis enlargement using proprietary "hydraulic press" technologies. While we're only able to guarantee enlargement of 4 inches on one axis of the penis, we've got leading researchers working on improving the method, and we will vigorously pursue any companies that infringe on, or support infringement of, our patented Get Wide(TM) technology. Facebook had better keep their pants on!
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 03:57 · Score: 0

How long will it be before f/b sues f\?
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by jank1887 · 2012-01-11 03:58 · Score: 2

and isn't that how Digg started down the path to oblivion?
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by s.d. · 2012-01-11 04:12 · Score: 2, Informative

The article clearly notes (and shows screenshot) that the ads that will be displayed on your news feed are from pages you have liked

Actually, what it says is: "...you must have already Liked Ben & Jerry's Facebook Page, or one of your friends must have interacted with Ben & Jerry's Page."

So you can (and likely will) see ads from a page that your friend liked but you've never visited.
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 04:19 · Score: 1

While we're only able to guarantee enlargement of 4 inches on one axis of the penis...
What would I do with a hockey puck shaped penis?
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Infernal+Device · 2012-01-11 04:26 · Score: 1

"Facebook Like" does not mean the same thing as "real Like" or even "give a shit about the future happenings of" (for some things) and there apparently is not a way to rescind a "Facebook Like".
Some things are great in concept, but it doesn't mean I want to hear from them constantly or at all.

--
"My God...it's full of trolls!"
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 04:28 · Score: 1

If someone doesn't like this, all they have to do is stop liking commercial organisation's web pages.
How you or anyone else can find this acceptable is absolutely baffling to me. I would drop Facebook in an instant and find a different solution. I already found other practice's of their unacceptable and I make sure to blacklist anything from them. Obviously I'm in the minority which I find depressing and puzzling. I personally won't tolerate it in my personal space.
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Fuzzums · 2012-01-11 04:34 · Score: 1

If someone doesn't like this, all they have to do is stop liking commercial organisation's web pages.
The question is why the Frell would you "like" a commercial organisation in the first place?

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Privacy is terrorism.
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Gilmoure · 2012-01-11 04:42 · Score: 3, Funny

Flip pancakes?

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I drank what? -- Socrates
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 04:52 · Score: 0

Exactly! Name one positive thing any commercial organization has ever done, anywhere! They're all a bunch of lazy freeloaders looking for handouts, trying to take the money out of the mouths of the children of hard working 'merkins!
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 05:04 · Score: 1

Oh yeah? Well YOUR MOM likes it too, and shared the link with your father.
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Americano · 2012-01-11 05:08 · Score: 4, Informative

there apparently is not a way to rescind a "Facebook Like".
That'd be downright nefarious and dastardly, if it were even remotely true. From Facebook's online help system:

How do I unlike something?
You can unlike a piece of content or a Page on Facebook.
To unlike a piece of content that you or a friend has posted, just click the Unlike link that appears beneath the content itself.
To unlike a Page (which will also remove it from your profile/timeline), go directly to the Page and click the Unlike link in the lower left-hand column.
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by tlhIngan · 2012-01-11 05:30 · Score: 1

The question is why the Frell would you "like" a commercial organisation in the first place?
Because people like deals and one thing you can do is send messages to those that have "like"d your page. So perhaps you frequent an establishment a lot, you may "Like" them and get discount coupons for use monthly or weekly. Or tell you about special deals and offers.
I'm sure many companies already do this, and companies like NewEgg and such probably offer some spiffy discounts and such. Sure someone will eventually repost it elsewhere, but if it's a time limited deal, it can take a little while versus just hitting your inbox.
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 05:44 · Score: 0

Will it last over 4 hours also?
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 06:36 · Score: 0

I kept getting emails about viagra and penis enlargement. Finally I had to tell my mom and girlfriend to stop sending them.
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Talderas · 2012-01-11 06:47 · Score: 1

The penis is a three dimensional object. You'll only get enlargement on one axis....
Increase your vertical girth or your horizontal but not both.

--
"Lack of speed can be overcome. In the worst case by patience." --Znork
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by ThomasLB · 2012-01-11 07:45 · Score: 1

It's not *you* they're targeting, it's your friends. I hope your friends are as into Team Fortress and Nickelback as you are.
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by jythie · 2012-01-11 10:59 · Score: 1

I think the important question will be, how obvious will this connection be to the average user? Geeks might do the research and find out what is causing the ads, but unless they make it clear, most people will not understand what is causing adverts to appear in their feed and thus will continue to hit 'like' on things they think are cool.
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 11:50 · Score: 0

Because we're not emo douchebag posers who pretend to hate everything too "mainstream"?
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 12:52 · Score: 0

Yeah, but is there a way to double plus unlike it?
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 19:48 · Score: 0

I cant think of anything facebook has done to aggravate me, but ads in the news feed could get ugly. Here's to hoping some non-geek figures out how to make a better replacement, because the need just might finally be there.
Re:Only If You Have Liked Those Pages by justforgetme · 2012-01-11 19:48 · Score: 1

Do it now, while you still can ;-)

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-- no sig today

Money by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 03:19 · Score: 1

OHHHH We have to have money to keep this going...

Re:Money by kestasjk · 2012-01-11 03:24 · Score: 2

They made $4.27bn in revenue last year, I think you've got Facebook and Twitter confused.

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// MD_Update(&m,buf,j);

No real opt-out by Ron2K · 2012-01-11 03:22 · Score: 5, Informative

TFA implies that there isn't any opt-out, other than unliking pages or nuking individual ads:

Since these ads are just stories, they cannot be stopped completely (although ad blockers may find a way around this). Users do, however, have three options provided by Facebook to limit the ads: click hide to remove individual stories, limit the volume of stories you see from a specific friend to only important posts, or unfriend the person and/or unlike the Page to stop seeing certain kinds of stories altogether.

This is going to piss off more than a few people...

Re:No real opt-out by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 03:27 · Score: 2, Insightful

TFA implies that there isn't any opt-out, other than unliking pages or nuking individual ads:

Since these ads are just stories, they cannot be stopped completely (although ad blockers may find a way around this). Users do, however, have three options provided by Facebook to limit the ads: click hide to remove individual stories, limit the volume of stories you see from a specific friend to only important posts, or unfriend the person and/or unlike the Page to stop seeing certain kinds of stories altogether.
This is going to piss off more than a few people...
I'm with DCTech I only like stuff I actually like and want updates from, if you're one of those idiots who just "like's" everything then I feel no pity for you. I think the system they have set makes sense and people shouldn't complain about ads when it is free platform they are providing us, they need some way to monetize and stay operational.
Re:No real opt-out by Ron2K · 2012-01-11 03:30 · Score: 1, Insightful

I'm with DCTech I only like stuff I actually like and want updates from, if you're one of those idiots who just "like's" everything then I feel no pity for you.
"One of those idiots" probably isn't applicable to most of the /. populace... but would apply to the overwhelming majority of Facebook users. ;)
Re:No real opt-out by LoverOfJoy · 2012-01-11 04:05 · Score: 2

"One of those idiots" probably isn't applicable to most of the /. populace...
You must be new here.
Re:No real opt-out by drinkypoo · 2012-01-11 04:07 · Score: 1

Unliking pages *is* an opt-out. I've already dropped almost all my likes, over time, because they posted something seriously offensive and/or insulting. Muppets, for example, posted an image about "If you've seen the Muppets more than twice you're AWESOME". Seriously? Goodbye, spammers. Kids are seeing that poster and parents are getting screamed at by kids who want to be awesome. What assholes. I guess I can't like the muppets any more. Kermit, you dirty corporate whore :(

--
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Re:No real opt-out by makomk · 2012-01-11 04:48 · Score: 2

I think that presumably only works if it was you that liked the page in the first place. If it was one of your friends, you're going to be stuck with defriending them or otherwise ignoring their posts in general.
Re:No real opt-out by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 04:54 · Score: 0

There is an opt-out. Google+
There are ads on TV right now, right in the middle of your Movie-Feed. It figures there's going to be ads in everything 500 million people watch every day, right? Right??
Re:No real opt-out by LordSnooty · 2012-01-11 05:02 · Score: 1

Whether I 'like' it or not has no real bearing on whether I want to receive continuous updates every time a product sprouts a new appendage.
Re:No real opt-out by Americano · 2012-01-11 05:12 · Score: 2

Right, because Google+ - created by a company whose entire existence is predicated on the serving of ads to subsidize all their "free" content and services - isn't going to use their data to serve you ads, either.
Re:No real opt-out by kent_eh · 2012-01-11 05:15 · Score: 1

There's always the option of doing what I do...br> Which is, avoiding Facebook entirely.

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"I can't complain, but sometimes still do..." Joe Walsh
Re:No real opt-out by DragonWriter · 2012-01-11 05:27 · Score: 1

Whether I 'like' it or not has no real bearing on whether I want to receive continuous updates every time a product sprouts a new appendage.
That's pretty much what "like" on Facebook used to mean.
Now it means that you want to spam everyone you know everytime the page owner has a new ad they want to put out, as well as you getting ads/updates.
Re:No real opt-out by camperdave · 2012-01-11 05:28 · Score: 1

There are ads on TV right now, right in the middle of your Movie-Feed.
Only if the person left them in the torrent. That's why you go for the DVD rips.

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When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
Re:No real opt-out by AmberBlackCat · 2012-01-11 06:11 · Score: 1

The ads caused me to "Unlike" stuff I actually like. I don't know if the ads much affected whether I like Dr. Pepper or Oreo cookies. However, anybody looking at my page in the past would see something like "Amber likes Dr. Pepper". Not anymore. It's almost as if they'd have been better off letting the profile page be the ad, at least with me.
Re:No real opt-out by mcgrew · 2012-01-11 07:17 · Score: 1

I guess I can't like the muppets any more. Kermit, you dirty corporate whore :(

I didn't know this until the other day, but Kermit was born as a dirty corporate ho over half a century ago. Wikipedia doen't have a word to say about Kermit's ancient prostitution, of course, since wiki fiddlers were almost all brought up on the ho's teats. But a thing on (of all places) TV network news revealed that the muppets got their start in TV commercials!
And since Disney bought the rights to the muppets in 2004, what do you expect? Once a crackwhore, always a crackwhore.
So you probably shouldn't have liked him in the first place -- but if you were born after 1970, it would have been hard not to have.

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Free Martian Whores!
Re:No real opt-out by quacking+duck · 2012-01-11 09:31 · Score: 1

I just "unsubscribed" from a friend's posts when the volume and type of post got a bit much--and no, they weren't game/app updates, I blocked those already.
IIRC the FB newsfeed reloaded immediately and I no longer see her updates unless I go directly to her profile wall.
My only concern is whether the unsubscribe appeared in the activity feed. It did when someone else unsubscribed from something, but that was to a corporate or commercial entity, which may play by different rules.

Slashdot loves facebook by ieatcookies · 2012-01-11 03:27 · Score: 5, Insightful

Free service puts some ads up, next story at 11. I predict yhis submission still gets 5000 comments with the obligatory "that's why I have never had a Facebook account" and "Facebook is selling your info to nazis". Slashdot loves to hate.

Re:Slashdot loves facebook by Scutter · 2012-01-11 03:34 · Score: 5, Insightful

Free service puts some ads up, next story at 11. I predict yhis submission still gets 5000 comments with the obligatory "that's why I have never had a Facebook account" and "Facebook is selling your info to nazis". Slashdot loves to hate.
It's not even slightly free. You're paying by giving them a huge amount of marketable data about yourself. Just because it doesn't cost you actual dollars doesn't mean you aren't paying.

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"Tell me doctor, with all of your defenses, are there any provisions for an attack by killer bees?"
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 03:39 · Score: 0

Yup. Huge amounts of data. My name and birthdate. Have fun with that.
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 03:41 · Score: 0

Yeah, its worthless, you would care posting it here?
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by girlintraining · 2012-01-11 03:44 · Score: 1

It's not even slightly free. You're paying by giving them a huge amount of marketable data about yourself. Just because it doesn't cost you actual dollars doesn't mean you aren't paying.
Speak for yourself. My profile only has a few profile pictures and my name on it. Everything else is bogus or empty. I don't like anything, I don't play games, and I don't use apps. If I could, I'd delete anything I posted > 60 days ago, but as of yet, I haven't been able to write a script that does that without failing spectacularly.

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#fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by Scutter · 2012-01-11 03:44 · Score: 4, Insightful

Yup. Huge amounts of data. My name and birthdate. Have fun with that.
Most people who use Facebook willingly supply them with much more info than that. The names and relationships of all of their friends and family, what they like, e-mail addresses, what web sites they browse (if they don't clear FB cookies), etc. Obviously, you're not a typical FB user, but I would be surprised if they didn't know a lot more about you than you think.
I have no problem with this in and of itself. If people want to play Farmville and are happy with Zynga having all of their personal information, that's between them and Zynga. My only point is that one shouldn't mistake Facebook for a free website.

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"Tell me doctor, with all of your defenses, are there any provisions for an attack by killer bees?"
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by Scutter · 2012-01-11 03:47 · Score: 1

If I could, I'd delete anything I posted > 60 days ago, but as of yet, I haven't been able to write a script that does that without failing spectacularly.
How does deleting old posts mean that you haven't given that info to FB?

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"Tell me doctor, with all of your defenses, are there any provisions for an attack by killer bees?"
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 03:49 · Score: 2, Interesting

Okay I will.

FACEBOOK CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY
© Facebook, Inc. 2010. All Rights Reserved.
V.0510 LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY page 6 of 9
Description of available data
Upon receipt of a valid subpoena or a legal document with equivalent authority issued through your local court system, the following information may be provided:
REGISTRATION DATA: User Basic Subscriber Information (BSI)
BSI is the registration information from a user profile. It may include the following, depending on the availability at the time of processing of your request:
User Identification Number
E-mail address
Date and Time Stamp of account creation date displayed in Coordinated Universal Time
Most Recent Logins (generally captures the last 2-3 days of logs prior to processing the request) in Coordinated Universal Time
Registered Mobile Number
Status of whether user profile is publicly indexed by search engines
BSI is delivered in XML format.
TRANSACTIONAL DATA: IP Logs
We have a limited capacity to retrieve specific logs and are technically limited from providing "everything" within a specific date range. In addition, we are unable to testify to the completeness of the data. Please specify the type of log you are seeking (i.e. creation log) so that we can retrieve the log accordingly:
IP logs can be produced for a given user ID or IP address. IP logs contain the following information:
[Column One] Viewtime – Date of execution, in Pacific Time Zone (UTC -8 / -7).
[Column Two] Userid – The Facebook user ID of the account active for the request
[Column Three] IP – Source IP address
IP Logs are delivered in a tab delimited text file.
Emergency Disclosures
Facebook is committed to responding appropriately to emergencies. An Emergency Disclosure Form is provided below and may be submitted by your local law enforcement official or an authorized U.S. legal representative assisting you with your investigation. E-mail the Emergency Disclosure Form to subpoena@fb.com and include “Emergency Request” in the subject header. If we believe in good faith that the matter is regarding potential bodily harm or death of a person, the Facebook Security Team will respond within a timely manner.
Special Requests
The Facebook Security Team may be able to retrieve specific information not addressed in the general categories above. Please contact Facebook at subpoena@fb.com if you have a specific investigative need prior to issuing a legal request and provide all identifying information as described above.
FACEBOOK CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY
© Facebook, Inc. 2010. All Rights Reserved.
V.0510 LAW ENFORCEMENT USE ONLY page 8 of 9
Facebook Profile Data Request Template Form
Note to Law Enforcement: Please use this template and add it to your legal documentation. This will enable our team to process your legal request accordingly. If this is regarding matter related to potential bodily harm or death, please use our EMERGENCY DISCLOSURE FORM provided in the Facebook Law Enforcement Guidelines.
1. Brief description of investigation:
[NAME OF YOUR AGENCY] is currently investigating [DESCRIPTION OF INVESTIGATION], [YOUR CASE/REFERENCE NUMBER], taking place on Facebook.com.
2. Legal Authority with details (i.e. local criminal code):
3. Profiles:
We request access to the following data, pursuant through our appropriate judiciary court order, the Facebook Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, and the above-mentioned legal authority, for the following Facebook user(s), group(s) and/or event(s):
Profile Name/Group/Event
ID Number/email address
4. Data requested:
{Please add an “x”}
Basic Subscriber Information
Recent IP Address Login (if available)
Specific log including date and time zone (if available, i.e. creation log)
Removal of profile/content (describe th
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by ieatcookies · 2012-01-11 03:50 · Score: 1

It's completely free, and yes, because I don't pay them in dollars I believe that it's completely free. The service is about providing data of yourself to share to other people. Yes, Facebook can and does leverage this data to bring in real money, good on them, that allows the service to remain FREE (FREE AS IN COSTS NO DOLLARS!). It'd be another story if you had to complete some seemingly random surveys or go off to some CPA enrolment and sign up for some oddball thing before using the site.. but nope, the data you provide is completely at your (and possibly your friends) discretion and it's up to you whether it's beneficial to your experience on the site.
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 04:13 · Score: 0

TANSTAAFL. What you are giving FB is private, privileged information on you, your associates, your family, and a ton of other bits. This info can be sold to marketers, used for law enforcement reasons (a picture of someone with a joint? That is prima facie evidence of possession, and has resulted in people going to jail and being convicted of drug charges. It can also result in insurance rate hikes on health insurance (a picture of you near smokers can have the insurance co demand a physical for continued coverage), and we all have seen people lose their jobs over FB posts.
If FB just charged a subscription fee, that would be great. However, one can pay a far steeper cost if they are not careful.
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 04:24 · Score: 0

Speak for yourself. My profile only has a few profile pictures and my name on it.
And every status update you've made. And the names of all your friends. And a list of everything you've ever liked. And the website of anywhere you've been that uses Facebook commenting...
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 04:26 · Score: 0

He was saying that all he put on Facebook was his name and birth date, which your post did absolutely nothing fuck-all to counter.
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by dragonhunter21 · 2012-01-11 04:49 · Score: 1

Free as in beer, not free as in freedom.

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Sent from my CR-48
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by Americano · 2012-01-11 05:27 · Score: 2

Wait, the names of my family and friends is now "private, privileged information"? Since fucking when?
Jesus you schizos need some perspective. If you're using Facebook to store your medical data, carry on illicit affairs with co-workers, orchestrate & document your life of crime, and post videos, photos, and messages about your kinky sexual fetishes - if you entrust anything other than the most banal trivia to Facebook, in other words - you're a first rate idiot.
"I LOVE KELLY CLARKSON'S NEW SONG!" and "LOL MY CAT POOPED A LOT TODAY! GROSS!" are not exactly "private, privileged" pieces of information that are going to have immense negative social and financial repercussions on the person posting them. If you cannot draw a line between information that is "private and privileged" and information that is "of no particular private or privileged nature," then you probably shouldn't be on Facebook at all.
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by kheldan · 2012-01-11 05:29 · Score: 1

Lets take this to a logical extreme and see how you like it:

This just in: Supreme Court upholds legal right to require reception of online ads. Evading online ads is now a Federal offense with mandatory jailtime.
How do you like your ads now? Of course this will (likely) never happen in the real world, but the idea is repugnant at best to you isn't it? Nobody cares if Facebook is "free" or not (and by the way it is NOT free), most people don't like having ads pushed into their faces and will avoid them any way they can.

Oh, and for the record: If you personally like ads, I think you're retarded.

--
Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 05:52 · Score: 0

They only get as much info as you give them. Just because there are fields to be filled out doesn't mean you have to fill them in with your info.
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by ieatcookies · 2012-01-11 05:53 · Score: 1

"Oh, and for the record: If you personally like ads, I think you're retarded."
There have been occasions where advertisements have actually alerted me to products I wasn't aware of and had interest in. While these occasions are rare they do happen, and in fact, that is their intention: exposure. If I had to choose between targeted adverts or random I'd chose targeted - I'm not including "no adverts" in the choice because, well, Facebook needs to pay their employees and bills like every other company.
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by Tom · 2012-01-11 06:44 · Score: 1

Uh, you did get the memo back in 2008 or 2009 that your interactions and relations are marketing data, yes?
This "social graph" thing didn't become a buzzword because it's so useful to the average user. Marketing people made it popular.

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Assorted stuff I do sometimes: Lemuria.org
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 07:47 · Score: 0

I do not have TV. So I do not see TV adds, unless I am somehwere outside my home. You would be amazed at how much you do know from ads. You don't relize what you are remembering if you keep seeing them. It wasn't until I was removed, I noticed everyone at work knows a lot of stuff that 1 don't. . . And it is all ad related. From what movies are playing to cars, to how to stop that itch in my. . . Wait that isn't safe for FB posting. :)
I do have the internet. I do see internet ads. And guess what, I am right there with everyone else about the ads, even if I kid myself into thinking I don't see them.
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by MLCT · 2012-01-11 08:03 · Score: 1

if you entrust anything other than the most banal trivia to Facebook,... you're a first rate idiot.
The most spectacular hacking episodes to date generally involve spear phishing (RSA's SecureID comes to mind). Spear phishing relies and thrives on "banal trivia" because it makes the phish appear completely legitimate.

There are really to many examples to mention - something as simple as a person's full name, their date of birth, mother's maiden name (can be very easy to divine on fb) and their immediate family network - would allow their sphere of privacy to be entirely hollowed out.

The question is not whether you are giving private information to facebook/google/whoever - you are, even if you don't think it - the question is do you trust them with it.
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by DCTech · 2012-01-11 08:14 · Score: 1

So upon court order law enforcement get your ip? What were you saying?
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by JGuru42 · 2012-01-11 08:37 · Score: 1

It's from the Onion but the thing is just because it's satire does not mean it's completely false.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqggW08BWO0
This is considering only stuff that you have intentionally given to them. There is a lot of stuff that they get through using things the Like button widgets on other webpages, whether you click them or not.
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by Mandrel · 2012-01-11 15:02 · Score: 1

There have been occasions where advertisements have actually alerted me to products I wasn't aware of and had interest in.
I'd be interested in knowing approximately how often you get useful awareness from an ad compared to from content (editorial and comments). Do you think this amount of useful information is worth the distraction that advertising represents, or is your acceptance of advertising more about the moral issue of it being a quid pro quo for free content?
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by kheldan · 2012-01-12 07:42 · Score: 1

I don't let advertising dictate to me what I do and don't want. If there is something I need, I go looking for it. If there is something I need to accomplish, I go looking for ways to do it.

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Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
Re:Slashdot loves facebook by ieatcookies · 2012-01-12 08:41 · Score: 1

"I don't let advertising dictate to me what I do and don't want. If there is something I need, I go looking for it. If there is something I need to accomplish, I go looking for ways to do it."

What a ridiculous statement.. I'm literally laughing out loud at this. Would you be surprised that companies experience gains when advertising?? How do you think those gains occur? Do you think that people are dictated by advertising and just graze their sheepish way to the store like zombies, entranced in consumer glory. Advertising is about getting something into the minds of people. It's not always about what they "need" but rather what they may "want", and no, I don't always know what I want until I see an advertisement for it. People don't just collectively realize that the latest Call Of Duty game is out.. they hear from their friends, see it in the store, OR SEE AN ADVERTISEMENT. Don't be such a basement nerd as to think you're not influenced by something so engrained in our culture, you probably don't even recognize when you've absorbed some information from an advertisement.

Re:DON'T ACCEPT THIS !! CALL FB AND COMPLAIN !! by 19thNervousBreakdown · 2012-01-11 03:42 · Score: 2

I can't wait to see 40 of these reposted as status updates on facebook.

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<xml><I><am><so><damn>Web 2.0</damn></so></am></I></xml>

Like most companies in a dominant market position by mr1911 · 2012-01-11 03:46 · Score: 1

Facebook will cause its own decline far faster and more effectively than any of its competitors could.

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Any offense taken to this post is at your sole discretion.

Advertisements - AUGH! by realsilly · 2012-01-11 03:47 · Score: 1

I just wish they would just stop invading every aspect of our lives. We see them on TV, in our snail mail boxes, at the movie theatre, in the movies themselves, along the highways, on the radio, on our new computers, on the internet, in video games, in our email boxes, and many more places. Goodness when will we be free of Ads. I understand FREE sites require Ads to keep up their FREE services, so that annoying but is understandable in my opinion. We're not even given the ability to tell Ad companies, I don't want your Ads. They pop-up in your face on your PC, they blare at you from your TV, you can't fast forward from them or close them or get rid of them. AUGH!

Stupid Monkey!

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Life takes interesting turns, but the most interest is when you're off the beaten path.

Re:Advertisements - AUGH! by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 03:53 · Score: 0

but AT LEAST they're not in our dreams!
Re:Advertisements - AUGH! by KiloByte · 2012-01-11 03:56 · Score: 1

but AT LEAST they're not in our dreams!
Yet. I somehow can't imagine crap peddlers to skip this opportunity when (not if) that technology becomes available.

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The creatures outside looked from Alt-Right to Antifa; but already it was impossible to say which was which.
Re:Advertisements - AUGH! by TheSpoom · 2012-01-11 04:28 · Score: 1

Parent post sponsored by Lightspeed Briefs!

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It's better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.
- E. Debs
Re:Advertisements - AUGH! by bl968 · 2012-01-11 04:31 · Score: 1

Adblock Plus! Oh wait that's an ad too!

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"GET / HTTP/1.0" 200 51230 "-" "Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; Setec Astronomy)"
Re:Advertisements - AUGH! by forkfail · 2012-01-11 07:14 · Score: 4, Funny

Your post as it will appear in 10 years (after being run through the post post processor):
I just wish they would stop invading every aspect of our lives (Have you kept up with Real Lives of Guatemalan Maids on NBC?) We seem them on TV (Get the new Samsung Smell-O-Vision today!), in our snail (Get Pest Be Gone for your garden!) mail, at the movie theater (try Fandango!), in the movies (Check out the release of Saw XXVII) themselves, along the highways (BP - the clean energy company), on the radio (listen to KRAP in the mornings!), on our new computers (Buy a Dell! Less bloatware than Gateway!), on the internet (did you check your Facebook this hour?), in video games (get Bloody Carnal Pleasures in time for Christmas!), in our email boxes (shop at Office Warehouse for all your shipping needs!), and many more places.
Goodness (come to Mikes Mega Church), when will we be free of Ads?
I understand free (get free stuff from FreeStuff4U.com!) sites require ads (hate ads? try ad away!) to keep up their free services (lonely? call service girl tonight!), so that is annoying but understandable (try Rosetta Stone!) in my opinion (be heard! try BlogMe today!).
We're not even given the ability to tell ad companies (get 10% off on bulk email when you send 100k mails or more at supespam!), [SOPA deleted phrase]. they pop-up (erectile dysfunction? try BoneBHere!), they blare at you from your TV (still haven't tried that new Samsung? Do you hate America?), you can't fast forward (get a free green ray player when you sign up for Comcraps 10 year contract!) or close them to get rid of them (embarrassing skin condition? try Baby's Ass today!) AUGH! (Feeling down? Try soma today!)
Stupid (is your child lagging behind? Use lrn2lrn today!) Monkey (vote for Mikey McHonest!)!

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Check your premises.

Make no sense by Rik+Sweeney · 2012-01-11 03:51 · Score: 4, Insightful

What's the point of running an advert in your News Feed for, say, Ben and Jerry's if you already Like it? You're the only one who'll see it and since you already like it, they're not encouraging anyone else to try their product.

What FB wants to do is show adverts for things you like in your friends News Feeds.

Shit :(

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Summation 2

Re:Make no sense by Turken · 2012-01-11 04:09 · Score: 4, Interesting

Dang. Read the article more closely, and you're right. Looks like Facebook is giving commercial pages the ability to repost friends' activity to your feed in case you missed it the first time the friend liked (or did whatever else with) thier page.
This does not look good. While I personally keep my "liked" pages to a bare minimum, I have lots of family and friends that are overly promiscuous with their clicks. I don't want to block everything from those people, but I don't want to be constantly barraged with posts from companies they've liked either.
Suppose this would be a good time to remind all the friends and family that Google+ is still available and only half as evil...
Re:Make no sense by dzfoo · 2012-01-11 04:38 · Score: 1

So let me ask you, and I'm sincerely curious, why did you or anybody else ever thought "Liking" a commercial company meant?
I always assumed it meant you sponsored their product or services and are expressing your support; and since it's in Facebook, you're doing so publicly. Exploiting this by broadcasting your sponsorship to all your friends in an attempt to expand brand-awareness seems logical, if creepy.
As a matter of fact, I always assumed this was happening already.
-dZ.

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Carol vs. Ghost
...Can you save Christmas?
Re:Make no sense by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 04:46 · Score: 0

"Suppose this would be a good time to remind all the friends and family that Google+ is still available and only half as evilSuppose this would be a good time to remind all the friends and family that Google+ is still available and only half as evil..." ... For now.
Looks like I maybe dropping Facebook....
Re:Make no sense by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 05:10 · Score: 0

Maybe you don't give a shit what your friends think, but instead, you like 'like' a commercial fan page so that you can get news about their goings on, without having to subscribe to some newsletter?
Re:Make no sense by BattleApple · 2012-01-11 05:13 · Score: 1

It could be even worse... The article doesn't specifically say you have to "like" something in order for it to show up. It uses "interact" -

"First, you must have already Liked Ben & Jerry’s Facebook Page, or one of your friends must have interacted with Ben & Jerry’s Page."
Re:Make no sense by DragonWriter · 2012-01-11 05:24 · Score: 1

So let me ask you, and I'm sincerely curious, why did you or anybody else ever thought "Liking" a commercial company meant?
Exchanging the right to be listed as someone who "likes" them and counted in their total number of "likes" in exchange for getting information updates from them.
Facebook has altered what the "like" relationship means, which means two things:
1. I'm going to need to re-evaluate what pages I've liked (not a big deal for me, because I'm not particularly prolific in "likes".)
2. I'm going to need to reconsider some of the connections in my Facebook social graph to people who aren't particularly restrained in their "likes".

Exploiting this by broadcasting your sponsorship to all your friends in an attempt to expand brand-awareness seems logical, if creepy.
As a matter of fact, I always assumed this was happening already.
Broadcasting the fact that you have "liked" something to your social graph was happening already. Using the news feed to periodically relay advertisements created by the entity that you have "liked" is new. These are substantially different ways in which the fact that you "liked" the entity are used. The difference is roughly analogous to the difference between a company getting permission to list you as a fan in marketing materials in exchange for signing up for email updates and them getting permission to use your email address and contact list to send unsolicited commercial email to all of your contacts when you sign up for email updates.
(Actually, given the way definitions in legal rules are often broader than in common use, I wouldn't be surprised if it was exactly that in terms of CAN-SPAM, which might have interesting consequences.)
Re:Make no sense by harl · 2012-01-11 05:27 · Score: 1

Hmmm. Can this be used to troll friends' news feeds by liking NSFW things?

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I find being offended by me offensive.
Re:Make no sense by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 05:29 · Score: 0

I'm dropping facebook but waiting until their IPO
Re:Make no sense by Turken · 2012-01-11 08:01 · Score: 1

So let me ask you, and I'm sincerely curious, why did you or anybody else ever thought "Liking" a commercial company meant?
Lots of reasons you may end up "liking" a commercial page, even if you're not really a huge fan of the product. In my case, it's usually to get a high-value printable coupon or other free promotional item.
Unfortunately there's been a big trend lately of manufacturers running their coupon and sample giveaway campaigns through Facebook so that they can grab all your demographic data in exchange for said freebies. Recognizing this, I usually use a fictional profile to respond to those offers, but occasionally I need to use my real one as well. My biggest gripe with the scheme though isn't that I have to exchange some (imaginary) personal data to get the coupons, but that most manufacturers don't realize the technical limitations of doing a giveaway through facebook, so as soon as the promotion goes live their servers choke up and it becomes a royal PIA for anyone to get the prints.
Re:Make no sense by quacking+duck · 2012-01-11 09:44 · Score: 1

Suppose this would be a good time to remind all the friends and family that Google+ is still available and only half as evil...
... and 1/100th the activity.
I and a couple dozen friends flocked to G+ after being annoyed by one of FB's many bad moves last year, but only one bothers to post there anymore, and his are all cross-posted to FB anyway.
Lack of events (no, I *don't* want to open and link to Calendars!) and draconian measures for "terms of use" violations are just a few of its shortcomings.
As far as my "circles" are concerned, Google+ is a failure.
Re:Make no sense by Kittenman · 2012-01-11 10:38 · Score: 1

What's the point of running an advert in your News Feed for, say, Ben and Jerry's if you already Like it?
You'll buy it again, sooner. Capitalism - you've gotta love it.

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"The greatest lesson in life is to know that even fools are right sometimes" - Winston Churchill
Re:Make no sense by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 12:56 · Score: 0

Waiting to short it, you mean.
LNKD: IPO'd at 94.25, now at 68.73
ZNGA: IPO'd at 9.50, now at 8.33.
GRPN: IPO'd at 26.11, now at 19.00 (la Fiesta de la Short was Nov. 18-28).

In Soviet Russia by TheTruthIs · 2012-01-11 03:57 · Score: 1

Facebooks adds YOU to the news feed.

/. also by Burps · 2012-01-11 03:59 · Score: 1

Well, Slashdost also does this for a while now !! When I receive my RSS feed through Akregator, I have a Google ad between the title and the story (and that pisses me off!!) I don't think it's much different than FB (although I don't use it..)

Re:Facebook is waste of time! by metalgamer84 · 2012-01-11 04:00 · Score: 3, Interesting

Negative Ghost Rider, this is the "me" generation.

Everyone in the world needs to know about "me" all the time. What im doing, where im going, what im buying, what im watching, etc.

2011 called, they want their story back by Picardo85 · 2012-01-11 04:03 · Score: 1

facebook put sponsored ads timeline newsfeed january 2012

I'll never see them. by Lumpy · 2012-01-11 04:39 · Score: 1

Adblock Plus FTW! They already have rules in there to block the facebook ad's.

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Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.

Re:I'll never see them. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 04:50 · Score: 1

Or, if you don't like the "Acceptable Ads" "feature" that Adblock Plus added in version 2.0, which has the potential to expose you to tracking cookies and malicious scripts, one can use Trueblock Plus instead.

My strategy for Facebook ads by Microsift · 2012-01-11 04:55 · Score: 1

I hide them, and when Facebook asks me why I choose "sexually explicit."

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My other sig is extremely clever...

Will it back fie? by DarkOx · 2012-01-11 05:17 · Score: 1

I mean it sounds like if you "like" a commercial page, you increasing the likelihood you will get ads from them.

Two things pop into my mind. If I have like'd a commercial page, am I really the person their advertising department is trying to reach anymore. I mean I have already basically indicated I know something about the products and services that entity offers and posses a favorable opinion of it. What more can they hope to accomplish by marketing to me?

There is no better advertizement than the testimonial of someone you know and respect the opinion of on a subject. That is what advertisers were getting on FB whenever someone like'd or reshared their stuff. All that persons friends say it on their news feed. That is advertising gold!

So now Facebook is going to be effectively teaching users that like'ing stuff results in spam, assuming the content is remotely spamy and I don't know how it could not be. That creates a disincentive to like' things you might really like! Won't that actually reduce the value of Facebook to prospective advertizes?

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Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html

Simple solution by kheldan · 2012-01-11 05:17 · Score: 1

Don't use News Feed at all. Make a custom List with everyone you want to read on it, and use that instead. Or you can just completely delete your Facebook account and be done with it.

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Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!

Re:Simple solution by oh-dark-thirty · 2012-01-11 05:23 · Score: 1

I used the second option weeks ago, it's a very effective solution.
Re:Simple solution by mister_playboy · 2012-01-11 07:18 · Score: 1

I don't think I had logged into Facebook in something like 3.5 years, but I never did actually delete my account until just now. :)
Thanks for the link.

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Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law ::: Love is the law, love under will

Re:Facebook is waste of time! by na1led · 2012-01-11 05:19 · Score: 1

Pretty soon the only thing you'll have to tell is what someone else did, because you spent too much time on the computer to do anything else.

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-- By all means let's be open-minded, but not so open-minded that our brains drop out.

I wonder why they made by Stan92057 · 2012-01-11 05:54 · Score: 1

I wonder why they made the sponsored link so small and out of the way. They are not trying to trick you are they?? LOL. IMO they are not doing enough to establish its a Advertisement. Why are advertisers so intent in tricking us to spend our money thats what i want to know. This is an old story as well think it was released on zdnet a few weeks ago.

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Jack of all trades,master of none

Re:Facebook is waste of time! by SteveFoerster · 2012-01-11 06:18 · Score: 1

Hence election season.

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Space game using normal deck of cards: http://BattleCards.org

All you have to do is subscribe to + services by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 06:52 · Score: 0

FB+ is a subscription based service that allows the user to pay a small fee and have their content delivered to them without advertisements. You will even have the first shot of seeing a friends post with our new "mysterious future" function available to FB+ subscribers...

After reading the article by LihTox · 2012-01-11 06:56 · Score: 1

I can't be sure, but it sounds as if the businesses aren't going to be posting things to your news feed that they weren't posting already; rather they will be paying to highlight stories: move them to the top of the feed or make them bigger or something. From the article:

Featured stories you may see
When a Page you like posts something new
When a friend likes something (such as a Facebook Page or individual Page post)
When a friend checks in somewhere, plays a game or uses an app

Those are things that show up in my news feed *anyway*. So I think this is a smaller change than is being suggested here.

Easy. Block the Ads by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-11 07:28 · Score: 0

This is only interesting in that these companies are now inserting ads where they were not before.

I haven't seen an ad in so long anyway. What ads. Between my router, hosts file, and browser settings, I see the Internet the way it is supposed to be: free of noxious tracking devices and useless ads. I refuse to be the product. I pay my ISP for the right to surf the Internet with abandon. I'm not paying again with my being tracked to help fill the coffers of some deviant company that cannot find a real business model.

Note to FB and other marketers by gstrickler · 2012-01-11 07:31 · Score: 1

Putting more ads on the page won't make me read or click more ads. Putting them inline with the content won't do that either. What will make me read or click more ads is showing me ads relevant to me, AND doing so in a non-intrusive manner. The sooner you understand and implement this concept, the more money you stand to make from me clicking on ads.

I have no objection to non-intrusive ads. I will NEVER click on Flash (or other video ads the play automatically) ads. Not once, not ever. If you use an animated ad that "flashes" or "flickers", I will never click on it, and if I happen to notice who that ad is from, I will never purchase a product from that company.

If a site has content I want, and the ads are non-intrusive, I don't object to them. My karma on slashdot is good enough that I have the option to turn off ads, but I haven't because it meets these criteria.

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make imaginary.friends COUNT=100 VISIBLE=false

Re:Note to FB and other marketers by quacking+duck · 2012-01-11 09:50 · Score: 1

Thing is, the majority of annoying ads are always targeted at the low-hanging fruit: the kind of people that's just above believing the Nigerian prince scam.
They know they won't rope in the intelligent ones, so they don't care if they're annoying us (hell, it's probably deliberate--"you'll never buy from us anyway, so we'll bug the hell out of you").
I also haven't disabled /. ads even though I have the option to.
Re:Note to FB and other marketers by Mandrel · 2012-01-11 15:38 · Score: 1

I have no objection to non-intrusive ads.
The problem is that one is less likely to notice unobtrusive ads on sites with interesting content. This means that such sites can't get good ad rates unless the ads blare somewhat.
Non-intrusive ads work better on search-engines, link-farms, content-farms, and sites like Facebook and Twitter that host small talk. The ads are sometimes the most interesting things on the page!
So I think an acceptance of non-intrusive ads does little to pay for quality content on the Web. Better would be to either punish only the worst sorts of advertising, or to pay directly for content and services through micro-payments, donations, and affiliate-like arrangements.
Re:Note to FB and other marketers by gstrickler · 2012-01-11 15:48 · Score: 1

The problem is that one is less likely to notice unobtrusive ads on sites with interesting content. This means that such sites can't get good ad rates unless the ads blare somewhat.
Flawed premise. Plenty of sites with good content have been operating successfully without intrusive ads.

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make imaginary.friends COUNT=100 VISIBLE=false
Re:Note to FB and other marketers by Mandrel · 2012-01-11 16:12 · Score: 1

Flawed premise. Plenty of sites with good content have been operating successfully without intrusive ads.
Could you provide some examples of these sites and the types of ads they deliver.
Re:Note to FB and other marketers by gstrickler · 2012-01-11 16:19 · Score: 1

Slashdot.org

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make imaginary.friends COUNT=100 VISIBLE=false
Re:Note to FB and other marketers by Mandrel · 2012-01-11 19:00 · Score: 1

I just checked the ads on Slashdot: animated ads (a squirrel on a trampoline), and large banners in bold colours. A long way from what Adblock Plus considers acceptable, and something that I'd find would distract from reading the content (which, I'm arguing, is what needs to happen if the content is in any way compelling).
Not only that but Slashdot content is mainly user-submitted and user-curated. Slashdot supports a handful of editors, coders, and salespeople — the latter only needed because they need to sell ads, mainly to companies that the stories are about (a conflict of interest). Sites with a lot more original content, like newspapers and magazines, are really struggling with funding their work solely from online advertising. So they're not only running more and more intrusive ads, and ads that look more and more like content, there's a big move to introduce paywalls. Unobtrusive ads aren't going to save them.
Re:Note to FB and other marketers by gstrickler · 2012-01-12 00:03 · Score: 1

1. The ads do not interfere with reading the content. They're at the top and off to the side.
2. Try viewing slashdot without flash installed. The ads aren't animated (you may encounter an occasional animated gif)
I gave slashdot as an example simply because it was stupid to ask for examples when we're on just such a site. There plenty of other examples, but I'm not going to spend time listing them.

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make imaginary.friends COUNT=100 VISIBLE=false

Foot in the door by Bensam123 · 2012-01-11 09:13 · Score: 1

Have you ever heard of foot in the door? It's how they gradually introduce things before hitting you with the full blown deal. I'm sure it wont be long before you see ads for Axe body gel and thinkgeek. But you'll like those too because they're relevant to your interests, right?

A post from one year in the future by sootman · 2012-01-11 09:25 · Score: 1

January 11, 2013: "Facebook Adds News to Ad Feed"

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The $1000 "ad tax" by ljw1004 · 2012-01-11 11:22 · Score: 2

US annual expenditure on advertising: $300 billion
US population: 300 million

Each of us is paying $1000 per year to have irritating ads thrust in our faces. The money ends up in the pockets of the advertising middle-men like facebook and google and ad agencies. The companies pay it to promote their products. They pass the cost onto us the consumers who buy their products.

I'm unhappy as heck paying $1000 per year for the "joy" of having ads stuffed in my face. I think the figure should be much lower. This is a business that has gotten out of control through a people brainwashed (by advertising!) to think that this level of advertising is normal.

About Facebook Ads by trawg · 2012-01-11 14:15 · Score: 1

Facebook recently put up this page that explains how and why Facebook advertise. I thought it was a nice, genuine explanation and it is worth a read.

Wha?!? by crhylove · 2012-01-11 15:33 · Score: 1

17 others?!?! You slut!

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I hold very few opinions. I hold information based on observation and fact. If you wish to disagree, please use facts.

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