Facebook Expands Ad Targeting To Include Web And App Usage

Facebook is broadening the way that it targets ads by including information about which sites users visit and what mobile apps they use outside of Facebook.  Last Fall, the social media company started providing marketers with the ability to retarget users who had previously visited their sites or maps.  Marketers can also retarget ads to Facebook users on the desktop by using the company’s ad exchange, Facebook Exchange (FBX), which is tapped into by dozens of demand-side platforms.

In the past, Facebook has been known for offering interest-based targeting within its network, based on pages that the user has “liked” as well as those that they have listed as likes and interests in their profile.  However, the new initiative of extending the data collection to include the third-party sites and apps that they use is a controversial move, and it is yet to be seen how users will react to this change.

“Let’s say that you’re thinking about buying a new TV, and you start researching TVs on the Web and in mobile apps.  We may show you ads for deals on a TV to help you get the best price or other brands to consider,” Facebook explained in a blog post.  With the wider targeting starting in the U.S., a Facebook spokesperson stated that they will not honor do-not-track settings in Web browsers because “there is no industry consensus.”

Facebook isn’t the only company making these types of changes.  Yahoo recently stopped honoring the do-not-track requests that users send through their browsers, and Google similarly does not honor these requests.  However, Twitter and Pinterest continue to honor this setting.

The social media giant realizes that this move is controversial, and explained that it would honor the settings to limit ad tracking on iOS and Android devices.  A Facebook spokesperson further stated that the company will “continue to work actively with privacy advocates, regulators and others to build consensus around what companies should do if they receive a signal.”

Facebook explained that it will not be sharing any new information with advertisers or other partners as part of the expansion of their ad targeting functionality.  The company stated that it will instead use its conversion-tracking pixel, in addition to apps that use the Facebook software development kit (SDK) to provide services including a Facebook login.  Impression data retrieved from the “like” button that has recently been added to mobile apps would be included as well.

At the same time, Facebook has just introduced a new privacy tool to give users more control over which ads they see.  Users can tap a drop-down menu in an advertisement to see an explanation of why they are seeing that ad to help them to understand the way that the system works.  Additionally, users can tell Facebook to remove or add interest-based categories through an “ads preferences” settings page, allowing them to see ads which are most closely aligned with what they want to see.

However, only time will tell whether or not these initiatives will be enough to offset concerns about Facebook increasing their web tracking to assist advertisers.  Jason Kint, CEO of the Online Publishers Association, released a statement in response to the Facebook announcement.  “As we see time and time again, user data is unknowingly being collected and tracked more and more across the Web and apps,” he said.  “Ultimately, consumers need a simple and effective way to not be tracked.”