Facebook now lets advertisers use your picture

[The Straight Story]

Facebook now lets advertisers use your picture
Josh SmithJosh Smith RSS Feed


Filed under: Sex Sells, Technology
Most of us are aware of the dangers associated with posting lewd and inappropriate pictures to Facebook. But what about the many family friendly photos you upload to your profile? Thanks to a relatively new Facebook decision, not even your well-thought-out profile pictures are safe. Cheryl Smith, a consultant who blogs at Culture Smith Consulting, raised the alarm today after her husband was served up an ad for "Hot Singles" complete with her picture!

How is this so? By default, Facebook users have been opted into a new Facebook Ads program which places your image in select advertisements based on partnerships (read a profitable selling of your likeness) that Facebook has made.

According to Facebook:

Facebook occasionally pairs advertisements with relevant social actions from a user's friends to create Facebook Ads. Facebook Ads make advertisements more interesting and more tailored to you and your friends.

While most users would be OK with their likeness being used to advertise a product that they are a fan of on Facebook like Snickers or the World Wildlife Fund; fewer would likely be happy to see their profile picture being used to pimp dating services and the like.

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/07/17/facebook-now-lets-advertisers-use-your-picture/?icid=main|htmlws-main|dl5|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walletpop.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F07%2F17%2Ffacebook-now-lets-advertisers-use-your-picture%2F

[berni_mccoy]

1. I just saw a blog post on this. You can turn off this "feature", thankfully...

otherwise, I'd be closing my Facebook account.

[lisa58]

2. how? do you have a link to the blog post?

[shireen]

8. turning off the feature ...

Under the "Settings" menu, select "Privacy Settings"
Click on "News Feed and Wall"
Click on the "Facebook Ads" tab
Select "No One" for "Appearance in Facebook Ads"

[Deja Q]

10. I see the 'facebook ads' tab, but when clicking on it,

there are no options within.

[Stephanie]

12. There's a dropdown

Right next to this:

Facebook occasionally pairs advertisements with relevant social actions from a user's friends to create Facebook Ads. Facebook Ads make advertisements more interesting and more tailored to you and your friends. These respect all privacy rules. You may opt out of appearing in your friends' Facebook Ads below.

Appearance in Facebook Ads > DROPDOWN, select NO ONE

[AnOhioan]

13. Same here...no options available

[Deja Q]

17. Using firefox 3.5 with adblock and noscript - both giving facebook a total exemption?

I loaded up Safari and the drop-down menu came up. I disabled it promptly. :)

[AnOhioan]

19. Got it...many thanks :)

[Greyskye]

26. I'm using adblock but not noscript w/ FF 3.5

I get no options in the Ad tab either.

Does that mean that the service isn't enabled on my FB account, or simply that I can't turn off the service and my friends might see one of my photo's in an ad? :shrug:

[Mrs. Overall]

11. Thanks, Shireen.

I'm holding one of my chickens, so for both my own privacy and for Eggnog's privacy, I will definitely go to my menu setting and select "No One."

[PVnRT]

25. Thanks (n/t)

[lindisfarne]

4. Since it's not an opt-in feature, I wouldn't be at all reassured. They can change their policy at

any time. And they have your photo (if you've put it up on facebook).

[Stephanie]

5. Please post how to do it

I just turned it off and now I'm trying to tell my friends and I can't find the setting. Really outrageous.

[Stephanie]

7. Okay I found it - instructions to turn it off >

Go to Profile > Top of Page = Settings > Privacy Settings > News Feed and Wall > Facebook Ads > Appearance in Facebook Ads > Select NO ONE

[lisa58]

9. thanks

[graywarrior]

14. Thank you!

[Stephanie]

24. They sure managed to bury it

I'm not happy with Facebook today.

[Rick Myers]

3. I've seen that...

Very deceptive. It seems like your friends are recommending something when it's just an ad program!

[KamaAina]

6. My Facebook pic shows me holding Opihi's Siamese cat.

They better get permission from the cat if they want to use it!

[Stephanie]

15. Rec the thread, please

I would never have known about this, thanks to The Straight Story for posting it.

[Deja Q]

18. I just did. THIS is the sort of news that's front page worthy...

[The Straight Story]

20. I wouldn't have known about it either except my girlfriend found it and passed it on

and she is not even on facebook :)

[Stephanie]

22. Well thanks to her then

Many of my friends are actors whose living depends on the right to own their image. This news was rather shocking.

[Pushed To The Left]

16. I don't think anybody is going to use my image for "pimp dating"

[The Straight Story]

21. They may use mine for male strippers though

:rofl:

[Stephanie]

23. K