Hi Cheeseburgers Lovers,
Since the Facebook Post was so popular I just wanted to let you all know that the Washington Post wrote an article the other day about Facebook Ads targeting users based on profile info. The “Muffin Top” ad was particularly offensive to the writer of this article and she reported it to Facebook. Now she says that Facebook has made some positive changes:
The muffin top ad is no more; whether the advertisers stopped using it by choice or by force, Facebook spokesman Hicks wouldn’t say. There are other changes afoot at the site. Last month, it beefed up its advertising guidelines, in part to address the diet ads. Any ads that refer to health or medical conditions can go only to users 18 or older, and they must “present information without portraying any conditions or body types in a negative light.”
I’ve noticed that Facebook hasn’t targeted my body since I wrote the post almost two months ago. They seem to be more interested in my politics now.
What do you think? Have you seen any positive changes to the facebook ads lately? Is facebook still calling you fat and telling you to go on a diet?
My facebook wants me to buy gold and powerlevelling services for World of Warcraft. (Both of which are against the ToS in game. My Facebook is trying to get me banned from the game!)
I get an aweful lot of engagement ring ads. As if any woman in her mid 20s who is in a relationship would be shopping for engagement rings as a matter of course.
I report every single weight loss advert I get shown on facebook as offensive/misleading. Im gradually getting less and less of them! The one that angered me the most was the ‘crash diet for your wedding dress ZOMG fat bride to be!’ Im getting married, but by golly i am NOT tolerating being told I should diet just because im getting married.
Or just because Im a woman, for that matter.
Ever since my relationship status became “Engaged,” I get nothing but wedding-related ads, most commonly the “Skinny Bride Secrets!” ad. It’s weird, because I list a lot of interests that I could see being targeted, but then, weddings are a multi-billion dollar industry.
Skinny bride secret: be born with genes that make you skinny.
Shh! It’s a secret!
I still see way too many bullshit diet ads on facebook. I report them but still… At least they usually don’t show images like the ones above, but they’re still a bunch of scams (drink magic herbal tea! and don’t sue us if you die!)… I want to be able to opt-out of any particular ad category (I don’t care for diaper ads either).
I don’t log into Facebook all that often, so yeah, I’m still getting told I need to lose weight by them.
But ever since somebody (can’t remember who, though it may have been you; who the heck knows?) pointed out that you can RATE the ads, I’ve been rating them as offensive/misleading. As soon as I do, it’s replaced by something else. Thankfully, it’s not ANOTHER weight loss ad.
I still get a few diet ads, but they’re mostly those that feature pictures of girls from “The Hills,” rather than those blasted muffin top ads.
My favorite of all time remains the “Is Your Man Gay?” ad. Classic!
I get asked to watch The Daily Show a lot. I do not mind that at all.
I’m just checking the facebook ads out:
So far I’m getting The Oprah Green Tea diet
and
BurntMarshmellows.com for those who like to share their tales of camping. I guess that’s what I get for posting camping pictures hey.
As for Oprah and green tea, I never heard her promote it on her show so I can only assume it’s some made-up tabloid thing.
Oh look it’s the Rihanna diet too. Hhmmmm they can stuff it!
/delurk
Thanks for writing about this and it’s funny that the WaPo picked it up! I’m bombarded with weightloss ads on Facebook – easily 80% of my ads are for diets. Lots of “Oprah’s green tea” ads suggesting I need to lose 44lbs. Occasional WLS ads suggesting I actually need to lose 200 (because I’d be so hot at negative 80). And the “get rid of stretchmarks” ads with lovely before & after pics.
I happen to be thin, but Facebook apparently thinks I’m fat because…I’m 34 and female. I’m not sure what else it could be – I’ve never clicked on a diet ad, I don’t list my marital status,** I don’t have a lot of personal info up, and I don’t post diet-related articles or updates, but hey…I’m 34 and female. So I’m fat and want to lose weight. Allrighty then!
**(if there’s anything that rivals the diet ads, it’s the “YOU’RE A PATHETIC OLD MAID” dating ads I got when I listed myself as single. The “best” was a picture of an aged, toothless, homeless-looking person with the caption “YOU GET OLD FASTER WHEN YOU’RE ALONE.” That’s when I removed my status. So not looking forward to the new Facebook with more ads…
Sorry for such a long post for a lurker!!
Yeah i keep getting these ads for the pink patch or something like that.
But what’s really weird is I keep getting all these christian ads even though i am it’s like still how the heck did they know.
And finally i think it’s because I am listed a single I saw an ad saying ” Wish you weren’t lonely?” I removed my relationship status and they haven’t popped up since.
Major spying I think.
By the way I am loving this blog and post: great work! A*
i really can careless about the ads. i don’t see why people are getting so worked up. calm down, just an ad.
I recognize that ad. I saw the same one a while back on facebook…
my ads want me to lose weight and buy an engagement ring. i’m not engaged yet. boooo!!
I use Firefox with the Adblock Plus plugin installed. I don’t see overt image-based ads. Anymore. Anywhere.
When I noticed the “thumbs up/thumbs down” icons under the ads (which I normally ignore, but they *are* placed rather strategically), I started clicking on the thumbs down button. I used to select “other” and write in a comment, but I finally just selected “offensive” instead.
I no longer get weight loss ads.
Surprisingly, I’m actually getting ads that really do interest me, and I’ve made a point of giving them the “thumbs up.”
A.
Falsify your information. That’s all I have to say about it. I don’t know why *everyone* doesn’t falsify as much information as possible, anyway.
Erase your cookies. Don’t put your correct age, dating status, restaurant preferences…what, are ya nuts? *hahaha!*
Privacy!!
And while I’m on it, jkeys17, the correct expression for your sentiment is “I couldn’t care less”, not “I can careless”
Remember: you can’t care any less than you do about xyz.
I couldn’t care less.
If you could care less, why don’t you?
* : )
facebook have ads?
That word muffin top, it is so disgusting how they are making this word become known. My room mate started calling me this just because she knew it got under my skin. Luckily she has stopped but. But how this word is used gives me the creeps. Why would any one degrade beautiful bodies in such a condescending way.
Muffin tops comes from England, don’t know where you are but it’s been a stapple here for a while, at least in the North anyhow. Yup facebook has ads and similar to this the men have the misleading adverts all about getting a uber muscly body in like five seconds, which as always is rubbish. They should properly vet ads, rather than allowing ads to make you subliminaly concious of your body. I just try to give them as many ‘misleading’s as I can be bothered with.