Are You Starting in a Facebook Ad Without Being Paid?

As a Facebook user you could find yourself unwitting staring in adverts on the Facebook site if you click the ‘Like’ button to indicate you’re are a fan of a product.

The website is now using subscriber profile pictures in adverts. So, for example, if you click the ‘Like’ button for Starbucks coffee shops, you are endorsing firm and could appear in one of their adverts without being paid a penny. Facebook classifies this as a ‘sponsored story’ feature. The ‘feature’ was quietly launched in January 2011 and falls within its privacy settings.

• Some internet experts have hit out at the use of free advertising. Carole Theriault, senior security consultant at computer security firm Sophos, told the Mail Online: “Normally, people will get paid for taking part in adverts, but this isn’t happening with Facebook. People should think twice about if they really want to endorse a product. I’d advise people to check that this sponsored stories function is switched off if they don’t want to take part. If Facebook really wanted to share opinions, they’d offer a “dislike” button too. Other websites like Amazon give users the chance to criticise. But Facebook doesn’t want negativity.”

• A Facebook spokeswoman said: “We’re not launching any new functionality with our ads today. Sponsored Stories reflect the way that people use Facebook everyday – they share things and see what their friends are doing. When someone interacts with a brand their friends can see that in News Feed or on your profile. Sponsored stories are just a new way for us to surface content that already exists on the site and show it to your friends. Sponsored Stories respect people’s existing privacy settings so they remain in complete control of who sees content they share. We don’t share or sell your personal information to advertisers.”

Facebooks website does hint that advertisers may be permitted to use members’ pictures independently at some point in the future, it states: “Facebook does not give third party applications or advertising networks the right to use your name or picture in adverts. If this is allowed in the future, this setting will govern the usage of your information.”

HOW YOU CAN OPT OUT

If you don’t want to publicly endorse a product, don’t click on the ‘like’ button that is featured on firms Facebook pages.

Opt out of showing your profile on adverts by clicking here and, when asked who you want to “allow adverts on platform pages to show my information to“, select the tab “to no one” and press the save button.