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Most Users Don't Know Facebook Keeps a List of Their Interests, Traits

posted by takyon on Saturday January 19 2019, @10:15PM   Printer-friendly
from the advertising-yourself dept.

Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:

Ignorance may be bliss for Facebook's users. About 74 percent of adults in the US who use Facebook didn't know the social network keeps a list of their interests and traits for ad targeting, says a study released Wednesday by the Pew Research Center.

About half of Facebook users said they weren't comfortable that the company compiled this information.

The world's largest social network came under fire in 2018 for a series of scandals over data privacy and security. The episodes caused concern about whether Facebook does enough to let users know what information it tracks and how it uses the data.

Facebook knows your age, gender and location, along with what you post, the pages you like and the businesses you check into on the social network. All that information helps the company determine what ads to show its 2.3 billion users.

Facebook users can view their "ad preferences" page to see what the social network thinks their interests are and why they're seeing a given ad. This list can include users' political leanings, hobbies and even the type of smartphone they use. Facebook users can also remove an interest from that list to change the type of ads they see on the social network.

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  • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 19 2019, @11:23PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 19 2019, @11:23PM (#788814)

    You stupid jerkoff, you have no fucking idea what my political leanings are.

    I voted for Obama TWICE. I have marched in civil rights protests.

    What I am talking about has NOTHING to do with politics.

    Thanks for providing an excellent example of the SJW idiot I referred to in my earlier post. You really rose to the occasion, you smart-mouthed little douche nozzle.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 20 2019, @12:46AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 20 2019, @12:46AM (#788838)

    Again, go to Nevada where you can legally get laid in exchange for cash. Or are you the AC that can't get a job?

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 20 2019, @07:53AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday January 20 2019, @07:53AM (#788977)

    uh... your reading comprehension is a bit on the low side there. Go re-read what I said.

    You are the one who brought up the SJW bit. Again you insult and do not change my mind. Only pretending that insults=intelligence.

    You have a very bleak outlook on life.