Chris Brogan: Facebook- Please at least PRETEND to Care
Anthony Hereld
· 3 months ago
I agree. The ads aren't really offensive just because they have guns in them, but annoying because I keep clicking the X and Facebook continues to spam me with them.
Me: Nope, don't like this one. Facebook: View it anyway. Me: Don't like this one either. Facebook: Haha, we like money...view it anyway.
Josh Chandler
· 2 months ago
Anthony, the one thing I despise of the Facebook "filtering tool" is the hassle. I don't want to click and select from a list of options every single time I click the "X". It makes me much less bothered about assisting Facebook to "improve" on already irrelevant advertising.
teala comer
· 2 months ago
$ is $; however i totally agree that facebook maybe "shooting themselves in the foot" for future advertisers. great point chris!
michaeldurwin
· 2 months ago
Hi Chris - I don't think the discussion here is about questionable ad content effecting the Facebook brand, there is certainly a huge market on FB for these games, it's more a discussion of user data. If Facebook is worth billions, supposedly based on the sheer amount of users as a marketing channel and user data gathering, why isn't FB smarter about it's own use of that data.
I can't check my Facebook account when my wife is around because anytime she looks over my shoulder some wannabe Girls Gone Wild 20-something is in an ad for singles. My profile is clearly marked "married". Contextual advertising has been a tough sell because it's a bit hit or miss on a site you're not logged into. But Facebook has such a ridiculous amount of data on users, why haven't they figured how to harness it? And if they can't effectively use their own users data effectively on their own site, what value is it to 3rd parties? How much are those ads worth if they're not targeting users with at least basic qualifications for the ad content? Of course this billboard approach means that ads geared toward 19 year old college kids are so obvious and offensive to adults.
researchgoddess
· 2 months ago
Michael, my boyfriend's profile is the same thing. As a woman in a relationship, it just makes you wonder, even if there's nothing going on. Someone mentioned earlier not wanting their daughter to see this because he didn't want his girl to think that all men are pigs because of this un-targeted "targeted" advertising. Just because you're male doesn't mean you want to see pictures of half naked chicks on your computer screen. And just because I'm a female doesn't mean I want to see pictures of diamond engagement rings or "lose that belly fat today!". :)
Jason Mitchell
· 2 months ago
Because your married does not mean you (and by you I mean the married man) does not like to see half naked 20 year olds. In fact I would bet that 'adult' sites make a huge portion of their money from married men.
Why are you getting ads with guns and naked girls on them? Because those ads work. Have you ever advertised on Facebook? The same ad with a boring picture probably gets a 0.02 click through rate. Put a hot girl on there and jump up to 0.08.
Furthermore this isn't an issue with targeting and it isn't Facebook who decides who to target the ads to. It is the advertiser. You are seeing a lot of ads for Mafia wars (guns) and people that want you to download their browser search to make money off of search (hot girls) because these are the people who are effectively making money off of FB advertising. Once other (less web savvy) companies release how to better parlay FB traffic into sales you will see more varied ads.
Josh Chandler
· 2 months ago
Micheal, don't be so downbeat on contextual advertising. Online companies such as Google have "harnessed" user's data to great affect on the advertising front.
It's a matter of tuning those algothirms to be just right, and certainly although Facebook have been publicly shamed for doing such a poor job, it's not to say there isn't some magic switch which could enable a much more relevant and enriched experience with advertisements on Facebook in the near future.
And, there are continued reports that Facebook is now making a profit, so these ads aren't always likely to be as poorly targeted as Mr.Brogan himself experienced!
facebook-666509627
· 2 months ago
No, Chris, I for one do not want hot chicks wanting to befriend me. I'm married and love my family. The way these things become sticky means my 6 year old will possibly see these pages at 14 and think all men are pigs. Even her Dad
Then, the guns. I have nothing against hunters, target shooters or personal protection. The Second Amendment is settled law. The First is, too. So, I suppose the advertisers have a right to advertise guns but glorifying mayhem in games, street sweepers, and wad cutter ammunition seems to cut at the very fabric of a society that treasures these rights. The old: "just because you can, doesn't mean you should" argument.
To the advertisers: Your children read these things.
David J. Garcia
· 3 months ago
You're all missing the opportunity: If Facebook ads are cheap enough that a poorly-targeted ad for "Mobsters 2" gets enough ROI--just think how much better of a bid you could make to reach people with your product though great targeting.
If you targeted and bid correctly, you could get Chris Brogan's attention with a well-placed ad for only pennies.
Daniel Sevitt
· 2 months ago
Smart response.
I'm dubious about the likelihood that people will leave a successful network in large numbers because of poorly targeted ads. We've all spent way too much time watching TV to buy that argument. Facebook is trying to make a profit. To do so, it's going to hack off some of its users. If they had a way of making money without hacking anyone off, I'm pretty sure they'd use it.
They don't have enough ads to serve useful ones and they have committed to serving the ads they do have to a number of eyeballs. People have suggested using tools to block ads. Chris is suggesting that major advertisers will be slow to jump in and new users will be wary of joining. It's hard to measure because advertisers are slow to jump in anyway and there may be any number of reasons for reduced take up of new users.
I applaud Facebook giving us the option to X ads. I don't applaud them continuing to serve ads after they have been X'd. Other than that, the market will decide what it will put up with.
remarkablogger
· 3 months ago
I'm with ya! I absolutely can't stand them. And when you click the X, 5 more appear in its place! What is wrong with these people?
Tim
· 3 months ago
This reminds me of several recent Burger King ads sporting offenses such as dancing ladies. What happened to the simplicity of yesteryear? To tell the truth, one of the reasons I migrated from Myspace was because of the offensive ads.
Thanks for speaking out on such an issue! They need to know this is unacceptable!
Josh Chandler
· 2 months ago
Tim, but MySpace didn't own nearly as much data as Facebook now seems too. There''s a key difference in the two platforms!
infashionmedia
· 3 months ago
I agree that they are annoying (and often offensive), but I've actually found that pressing X enough times and selecting "Uninteresting" as the reason for closing them, has left me with a default "Connect with more friends" message under the sponsored section; at least for the last few days. Not sure why they gave up serving me new ads, but i'm happy!
Adam Teece
· 3 months ago
All this and I've been having tons of errors all across their site lately. Hope they can get their act together. Don't want to have to try and drag my friends away from a crappy site. Getting on Facebook instead of Myspace was hard enough.
Ricardo Nunez
· 3 months ago
I knew I wasn't the only one criticizing this ads. Just wondering, are the ads filtered by age demographics? how many kids look this kind of ads.
Tim
· 3 months ago
Personally, even as an adult I dislike the idea of "hurting my friends."
Ricardo Nunez
· 3 months ago
I think the people that write that kinds of ads don't have too many friends anyway.
Tim
· 3 months ago
Who would need enemies, right?
Lancaster
· 2 months ago
I was thinking the same thing-- how many young kids are on FB? I thought you had to be a certain age to join? I know some pre-teens fake their ages to join. But they are used to video games MUCH WORSE than Mafia wars and the like. Right? Many have grown up with violence thanks to PS2 and XBox. Not that these ads are excusable, but I'm guessing FB is just giving them what they want?
Jed Cohen
· 3 months ago
One of the things I like about Facebook Lite is that it strips away that whole sidebar - including the ads. Maybe that will change when it moves out of beta, but it would be nice if they would keep the ads there as minimalist as the rest of the experience.
I imagine that each of the different methods to access Facebook (web, Lite, mobile, iPhone app, etc) will appeal to different demographics; as such, there is opportunity to further tailor advertising to them.
Of course, this doesn't really address tasteless ads, but that's what that little x is for - and at least they provide that, as opposed to having no control over the ads you see.
Tim
· 3 months ago
Another option is using the Firefox plugin Grease Monkey or Customize Your Web to cut out the ads yourself.
Brant Schlatzer
· 3 months ago
It does seem sort of silly that the guys with piles of killer data available to help them figure out a given users' context can't do any better than this.
DragonI
· 3 months ago
I agree. BTW, way too many dating ads as well. Unfortunately, FB is just taking the easy cash!
rexharris
· 3 months ago
I absolutely agree, and it's not just Facebook. I'm getting this stuff via Twitter DM now as well. It's all well in good if that's what people like, but keep it within a specific interest group. To me, this is no different than the boat load of spam you get from Internet marketers. If it's not okay for one group then it shouldn't be okay for any. Great post!
Ryan Rancatore
· 3 months ago
I actually think you are making too big a deal out of this. Half of my timeline is filled with Mafia updates anyway (so I have boneheads for friends, that is my problem). Facebook needs to monetize somehow - if the makers of this game are willing to pay Facebook $1 to reach a thousand of me, so be it.
zanders
· 2 months ago
It's not making too big a deal out of it, since Facebook claims to want to be the website that we build real relationships on. They market themselves differently from the type of company that would support those ads. I agree with you in terms of them having to monetize, but there should be a limit on the amount of ads that Zynga, or any one advertiser can publish. It literally starts to ruin the user experience.
Saitia
· 3 months ago
I'm spending more time marking as offensive some 21 year-old's idea of hot chicks— dozens of them, all with mammary protrusions of some note— who are probably, hyeah, "searching for me"— than I do wondering if those jaded little tykes get laid.
blogjunkie
· 3 months ago
i agree! i remember i used to be able to report the ads as unsavory but now that option isn't even there anymore.
Cindy C.
· 3 months ago
The ads are only somewhat annoying to me. Thus far, I haven't gotten anything terribly offensive. If I want to take the time to say I don't like it, I do. However, I like having fb for free, so I can tolerate a little annoyance. Thing is, it's less annoying than MOST network tv ads...and I can't click those off (no,I don't have tivo or dvr).
Fortunately I won't need to migrate because Facebook did me the dubious honor of removing my account. Apparently they don't like my name. I can't thank them enough
Mike
· 3 months ago
Thanks for posting that Chris.
It’s reassuring to know that I'm not the only one who hates these things.
I was beginning to think it was just me getting old.
Mike.
Pierce Hibma
· 3 months ago
I feel the same way. You would think they would be a bit more selective over their ads. It's the only way they've figured out how to make money so they better get it right!
Angelique
· 3 months ago
If you use Firefox with Adblocker, you don't see any ads on Facebook or anywhere else. I tend to forget that there are distracting ads on Facebook and other places until I see those sites on other people's computers.
Amber Whitener
· 3 months ago
Since facebook began evolving their targeted ads campaign, I get the ads to hire a virtual assistant, get whiter teeth and lose 10 pounds in a week! LOL, I know it's not funny, but I can't help but laugh. I AM a virtual assistant; my teeth are fine and the images of the heavy and skinny models give me the munchies! :) - No rant or rave here, just personal experience.
ducroisel meche
· 3 months ago
You're right, adds like these are always in places that they just don't belong.
kat
· 3 months ago
facebook it's like that nice clean swimming hole you and your friends went to then as it grew full of more and more folks it became a crowded cesspool with leeches and people not getting out of the water for hours marko!
you guys all keep going back there though ew!
Name
· 3 months ago
I agree 100%
pretty-tiffany
· 3 months ago
Thank you very much,I have read it now. And welcome to my site,
Chase
· 3 months ago
Thank you.
I know there are options for (at least) Firefox out there that will cover up the ads. I have one and it works fairly nicely. It's too bad that facebook has gotten to the point where I feel it's necessary to keep using their system.
Good point
Steve Rumsby
· 3 months ago
Do you know if the ads they serve are age-sensitive? My 12-year-old daughter can't wait until she's 13 and allowed to sign up - all her 12-year-old friends are already on Facebook! But if they serve the same ads to kids as to adults then the answer's going to be "No!". Twitter might be safer...
Jennifer
· 2 weeks ago
My son is a young teen and gets all of these offensive ads as does my husband. It's as if the only filter is male/female in determining which ads to serve up. No matter how many times we click the "x" with the reason of "offensive" they still pop back up! Very frustrating.
lisa b
· 3 months ago
ALL ads on fb are offensive. (I'd rather pay $/mo Not to have advertisements!)
thomsinger
· 2 months ago
I heard a woman give a presentation on how she plays Mafia Wars on Facebook to an "non -Social Media" audience. I am convinced that all 100 people walked away from the talk thinking that is what Facebook is all about.
I don't like all the attention that these ads are getting on Facebook. People are starting to make jokes about these ads (and their prevalence) at social media and marketing conferences from the stage... which says to me they are annoying more people than just you and me.... and it is hurting FB's image.
localads
· 2 months ago
That is why I delay logging into facebook.. I only login when I need to.
latobatele
· 2 months ago
You just read my mind I have been trying to clean up my Fb Page but you still see the occasionnal ads and most importantly you see the people trying to sens you stuff like how hot are to add on your page I run my FB page as a way to sell my stuff, meet people in tech and not for personal networking
Michael Bailey
· 2 months ago
Well, we get what we pay for. Since WE are not paying for FB, it is all advertising dollars, and much like spam, some one must be clicking on the ads, or else they would not continue.
Betsy Kent - BeVisible
· 2 months ago
Hi Chris, How interesting that you should write about this today. I have recently (as you know) had a lot of problems with a Facebook ad campaign for one of my clients. My client is a large sports and entertainment center and their ads were, to say the least, very tasteful, especially compared to the ones you mention in your article. In spite of that, Facebook disabled them due to "violations" that they wouldn't give details about. After weeks of trying to resolve the issue, I am happy to say that yesterday the ads were finally displaying. And, I received a nice note from Mike Murphy as well. I believe that given a little bit of time, Facebook will get its act together and become an effective advertising platform. Hopefully, it will happen sooner rather than later...before users and advertisers alike go somewhere else.
MichaelCantone
· 2 months ago
It is why I stayed away from Myspace. Did you see the new game for Twitter. I have real friend I would like to drop a line to then they try to get me to ad these games my old laptop is slow enough wouldn't be able to play if I wanted.
lynnjericho
· 2 months ago
It is hardly prudish to have a sense that a social network should exclude ads that are essentially anti-social. It's courageous. Thanks.
Ryan Biddulph
· 2 months ago
Agreed 100% Chris. I guess you tailor your brand toward what you believe in, and FB believes that it's OK to advertise this stuff. I don't think it's a good direction for the company though.
A few may appreciate the ads but they aren't making impulse purchases on FB.
L
· 2 months ago
Personally I don't remember seeing those adds. I read that fb adjust the adds depending on your activity in the fb world. So, if you play those games, you see those adds.
Lea J Smith
· 2 months ago
Are you ready for that change? Facebook has brought me many new friends and given me the chance to reconnect with former classmates, family members, and animal lovers. www.facebook.com/nothingisimpawsible
I can't see me leaving it altogether, but I am now a part of another network of awesome people. The founders are sharing their soon-to-be millions with members like me. I am so excited to see where this goes and I am inviting friends to come along with me.
What lists are you King? Interested, have not looked at many...
Daniel Decker
· 2 months ago
I'm right there with ya. I think it's a slippery slope and a primary reason people fled from MySpace (which became the trailer trash of the internet). I can speak only for myself but when MySpace began to allow all the borderline x-rated dating ads, I think they didn't think of their customer - user at all. Facebook seems to slowly be heading down this path as well. Hope it stops. I want a safe, friendly social media platform. Not one that hits me daily with ads that make me scared to have my kids next to me while online.
zabdul
· 2 months ago
I completely agree. Some of the ads are downright offensive to me. And the lesser ones are "Over 40? Too fat for words or falling apart, right?" Okay - not the exact verbiage but they feel like a slap in the face when I open facebook first thing in the morning. Ugh. e
J.C. Moore
· 2 months ago
No one will leave the site because of these ads, at least not enough to matter in the overall scheme of things. Also, if anyone thinks these are offensive, or are just not interested in them, they can close the ad, answer why they don't like it, and that particular ad, and others like it, will stop showing up for you on Facebook.
Some people actually like these ads, so I think it's a smart choice for Facebook. The ones that don't like them also have the ability to never see them again. it's a win-win situation.
Jen Strange
· 2 months ago
I am CONSTANTLY marking ads as offensive or annoying - I do not want to see half-naked women, and I HATE seeing close-ups of teeth. Yet I keep getting those ads! SOOOO annoying!!!
Thanks for this post!!!
jen
Seth Resler
· 2 months ago
I agree that I am tired of these ads and find them repetitive and mildly offensive. I am also tired of the attractive women who have allegedly been searching for me. Recently, I have also had multi-level marketers that I don't know soliciting me. Time to reign it in.
Michael Dougherty
· 2 months ago
Rant or not, I agree. Facebook gives this nice option of clicking if the ad is too repetitive or offensive, but I really think they swapped the text out from when it said "Click here to see this ad ten times more than you already are".
Dear Facebook, Please stop treating your product like Beer. We do not need a Lite version. Just give us one tool that we can customize to turn features on or off as we see fit.
Andrew Krebs-Smith
· 2 months ago
The ads are probably targeted to you because of keywords in your profile. I only see ads for musicians and movies...
Tia Nelson
· 2 months ago
This conversation reminds me of ones I've heard many times regarding offensive television commercials during family shows. The Sponge Bob Square Pants dancing butt ad comes to mind. Yes, we can always turn the t.v. off but when it comes to a captive audience on a social platform, "turning it off" would have to include your entire tribe. Facebook should be cognizant of this.
Christi Wharton
· 2 months ago
Looks like those ads are targeting men. I haven't ever seen them. I get ads for gardening, jewelry and makeup and those sorts of things. It looks like advertisers should be able to target their ads better.
When I looked at the ad process on Facebook, it says:
Target Your Audience By:
* Location * Age * Sex
* Keywords * Education * Workplace
* Relationship Status * Relationship Interests * Languages
Wondering what the "guns and chicks" guys are targeting?
Michael Clark
· 2 months ago
Chris - You're exactly right. One of the reasons I stopped using Myspace was that it was unbelievably tacky in the ad dept (never mind a badly-performing, poorly-written, incoherent mess of a platform). I RT'd your link.
Thanks and keep it up!
ronayers
· 2 months ago
What if it were the new Halo:ODST, or Call of Duty 5 or Gears of War, or some other game that's played on a console that involves shooting? What if it was the Godfather Trilogy on Blu-Ray
Is it a question of the substance of the ad, or is it a question of what the product represents to us. I know Mafia Wars bothers me with millions of notifications. Which is why I dropped it after day one.
When I turn on my video games, McDonalds is advertising *IN* them. There could even be an argument made that gamers are more likely to eat at McDonalds than non-gamers. Maybe the placement is even more beneficial than we realize!
Brands who are advertising on the Facebook should probably be more concerned about the audience they're pushing to and the content THAT audience is generating, as opposed to what ads they're running next to. That seems to be one of the big places where MySpace fell short.
Peter Jovanovich
· 2 months ago
I agree with you...the ads are definitely in bad taste. I believe the ads could be more targeted to the content and personality profile. YES, we should have a say in what is advertised on our page.
Jen Strange
· 2 months ago
those who think ads are content-related - I have NOTHING on my profile to suggest I would like to see half-naked women, singles, or close ups of nasty teeth.
I would love for there to be a PG-13 filter. Why do we use sexualization of women to sell products TO WOMEN? I have marked ads of women in bikini's offensive time and time again, choosing "other" and then writing "I DO NOT WANT TO SEE NUDITY" in the comments - and yet they are still there.
And why are ads for singles showing up on profiles that are clearly marked as "married"? Content-related, my ass.
And why does marking ads as inappropriate fail to keep those ads off my page?
I have tried to "like" ads which I deem appropriate and useful, but then if profile settings aren't adjusted accordingly, friends will see the ad along with a "Jen Strange LIKES this ad." Nice.
kellykearney
· 2 months ago
Well said Chris. I'm glad you called this out. There are only so many "thumbs down" icons I can click for these types of ads. The unfortunate part is they don't go away.
Kelly
researchgoddess
· 2 months ago
I'm personally just sick of good sites whoring it up with pictures of half naked women. Whether they're ads or profiles (sorry, I don't appreciate slutty girls' profiles either). I know most of the men here would disagree with me but it furthers my love-hate relationship with the Internet. I love it because it brings everything right to our fingertips. And I hate it because it brings everything to our fingertips. Sorry, I don't want to be advertised to about hot chicks. Not my thing. I click off these ads but they keep showing up. I'll once again bring up my favorite line taken from Jurassic Park: just because we can, doesn't mean we should. And people wonder why society is becoming more and more numb to the consequences of pornography and violence. I don't think you're a prude at all, Chris. Touche'..
Danielle DiGiovanni
· 2 months ago
I try my best to just ignore the ads I see on facebook.
My part time job is as a Leader for Weight Watchers.
Just being female has caused so many sickening diet ads to appear that I've given up "x"ing them.
I began to assume I was being overly sensitive to be offended by Facebook ads. I'm glad to read that I'm not the only one.
Jen Strange
· 2 months ago
reading through these comments, it almost seems as if the REAL question here is:
Why does Facebook allow such a huge percentage of ads that are blatantly misogynistic?
Reflection of American culture, or self-perpetuating cycle?
charlesneville
· 2 months ago
The interface to set up an ad on Facebook lets you choose relationship status and 'interested in'. Ads for dating sites and the like not being set up to exclude married people is either a cynical move on the part of the person creating the ad or a sign of extreme laziness. However there's no immediately obvious way to stop showing ads for Mob Wars to people who don't want to see them (though I've got some interesting ideas on that) and it's been shown that no matter how many times you click on the X, Facebook continue to serve them up.
Anthony Cerreta
· 2 months ago
I agree, their ad logic and/or etiquette is horrible. I've had many qualms with fb ads like the one here ->
FB has to make money with their ads - its a given. What FB should do is give me the right to choose the types of ads I'd be interested in. Quit assuming what my demographic would like, give me some options, let me choose - the chances are greater I'll click on them. Send me offensive ones, I end up banner-blinding the sidebar so when an ad pops up that I would be interested in, I don't see it.
jrep
· 2 months ago
I dumped my Facebook account long ago because of stuff like this, so I can't actually check this, but ... it strikes me as very odd that your screen snips show what appears to be a voting button for "Like", but none for "dislike." The multiple comments indicating that the "X" button doesn't work, or doesn't work fast enough, give the same message, and the message very suggestively seem so be, "No, Facebook does NOT care about you, if you're discerning or ordinary or humane; only impulse shoppers need apply."
marywhitecornell
· 2 months ago
Great point Chris and Teala
One of my restaurant clients - who was thinking about advertising on Facebook - decided against it because of the ads. His thought was "what kind of company would allow this? And do I want my family friendly business to be associated with it?"
Derek Pangallo
· 2 months ago
It's a bidding war based on keywords, age and gender. Thumbs-down these ads and you will see them less. This is their revenue; offer a solution, get adblock, or deal with it :)
Joe Slaughter
· 2 months ago
Thanks for your comments about the Facebook ads for Mafia Wars. As a parent, I don't want my kid thinking about acting like a part of organized crime - threatening people they don't like, etc.
Jodi Kaplan
· 2 months ago
Ouch!
Facebook also got in legal hot water recently when they had to shut down their Beacon shopping service. It seems they were sharing too much information about what people were buying (and the discounts they received). One poor guy had his Christmas ruined when the service told the world he'd bought a diamond ring at 51% off. Ooops.
Kathy Breitenbucher
· 2 months ago
This is exactly why I have distanced my business from Facebook. I can't control the page enough and get associated with things I have no desire to discuss with professional associates. I think more and more people will raise red flags over this and hopefully it will change!
RegiSasso
· 2 months ago
Chris,
A thought and possible explanation…
Maybe FB is experimenting with viral loops or social ads. Just read a fascinating article on viral loops and how they may help to create the future of online advertising in the current issue of Fast Company: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/139/loop-de...
The Mafia Wars application is HUGE on Facebook (I don’t “get it,” but I’m amazed at the number of senior level executives in my network who have sent me invitations to join in the fun!). Your blog and Michael Durwin’s comment above about FB’s data makes me wonder if FB is testing a viral loop to measure a user’s “viral quotient” to determine how much that user is worth, in dollars, to a/that particular social network.
Whether it's a test or not, I'm opposed to anything that promotes violence, period. So, I'm with you, and let's hope FB hears the message!
Daniel Bass
· 2 months ago
Chris,
The problem with Facebook vis-à-vis these ads isn't that they are there ... the problem I have encountered is that once I indicate to FB that I find an Ad offensive, irrelevant, or uninteresting FB doesn't do anything to filter these Ads out of my feed.
If FB is going to ask why I don't like a particular Ad, and I take the time to provide them with my feedback, shouldn't they act upon that information?
Jamie Favreau
· 2 months ago
I use firefox's ad blocker so I haven't seen an ad in a long time.
Melissa Leon
· 2 months ago
I agree Chris I see ads on my profile that have nothing to do with me. I understand other people enjoy playing these games but the question still stands does Facebook want to associate themselves with these types of ads.
Deborah Richmond
· 2 months ago
Clearly the ads are being targeted toward us as a demographic group. I can tell you I don't get the guns and hot chicks ads, thank goodness. Which video site allows you to choose which ads you like or don't like? There should be that choice somehow on facebook. Thumbs up or thumbs down. I don't mind you showing me ads for things I like. I know the site needs to make money so I can keep using it for free. But, you're right, let us guide it a bit. Besides, advertisers should like the fact that we're narrowing the focus to view ads for products we really may be interested in. Rant away. Love it.
Michelle Damico
· 2 months ago
Chris, I totally agree. When I worked in Chicago radio, our adult-oriented progressive rock station station didn't accept ads from a bunch of advertisers whose association would have detracted from the brand. It makes sense in life and in advertising -- if those you hang out with negatively affect your reputation, then keep a distance. I don't understand why Facebook can't figure that one out, By the way, just got my copy of Trust Agents and I'm thoroughly enjoying the info and your writing style.
Megan
· 2 months ago
I'm tweeting it.
Maybe we need to flinch a little bit to really see what's going on.
Thanks, Megan
craftyballerina
· 2 months ago
Nice timing... I was just thinking this morning how much I hate the ads. Every time I log in I see, "Obama asks mom's to return to school" plastered all over. I've stopped using FB as much. The ads get to be too much and they're completely over-saturated. I've only clicked on one ad EVER - obviously their little ad scheme isn't working on me. I'm wondering what's next after FB.
Derek Pangallo
· 2 months ago
Fact remains, almost any ad is going to offend SOMEone. I don't like that I see ads for dating services with busy women when I'm clearly "In a relationship." Facebook does care, because they evaluate all ads and keep the malware from flowing, but they're still running a business. Mafia wars makes money, people click on the ads.. . hey, what is the game rated by the ESRB - that could be an argument toward preventing your kids from seeing it.
ecommerce00
· 2 months ago
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Lydia Barry Kutko
· 2 months ago
That's interesting you're so bothered. I always thought the margins of FB were a load of crap and I don't think my eye (really) has ever seen one ad! I guess I have some awesome selective vision.
I'll bottle it and send it to you. Should be the salve to cure your agony.
Conrad Buck
· 2 months ago
I agree about getting the algorithm mix right. However there so many factors to take into considering at to why this happens and why FB users get upset. Don't expect Facebook to have a conscience. Targeted ads are targeted ads. They are based on many equations and while FB could obviously work harder, they can't base their advertising campaigns purely based on morals and users beliefs. The day when we don't advertise anything to avoid "offending" is when the whole advertising model breaks down.
Obviously any Facebook group and company pages need to be aware of these ads more than users, especially if the group focuses on more delicate issues which may be directly related to the theme of the ads.
We may question why "married" profiles are receiving dating ads but again that's somewhat assuming that married users are completely stuck in the stone age where adultery is punishable by death. What I would like to see is stats on single profiles vs. married profiles and what percentage of each actually click on the singles and girls gone wild ads. We may already know the answer, and just perhaps that's why FB does what it does.
Google's ads in Gmail aren't much better, actually they are probably worse. a while back that someone received the devastating news via Gmail that a friends mother had tragically died. While reading this email the ad words box on the right side of the email window showed something to the effect of "crematorium services."
MaryKayManBus
· 2 months ago
I agree that its a little much and unnecessary. I want to do business with my clients on Facebook and violence is not my image. There are games about nice things and I wish there could be a greater focus on that by FB.
Can't begin to express how disturbing I find this. What is Facebook playing at? Am thoroughly fed up with the number of people who keep insisting I join their Mafia family or other kind of gang or army too. Am I just odd to think gang violence isn't entertainment?
Rebecca
Mel DePaoli
· 2 months ago
I completely agree! For the longest time I was getting weight-loss ads, plastic surgery enhancement ads, and mommy ads. I am very comfortable with my looks and my body and I do not have kids.
For a company that is given credit for such accurate/well targeted advertising, they completely miss the target more than they even come close--when it comes to me.
Jim
· 2 months ago
So those girls on the right hand column aren't really looking for ME?? :(
Nadav
· 2 months ago
Absolutely agree, Chris. I think that facebook, which is rapidly becoming web leading social platform, should show some social responsibility.
cogdog
· 2 months ago
No need to see ads- get Stylish for Firefof http://userstyles.org/ and install the style that hides ads.
gelbendorf
· 2 months ago
and I thought that all the dudes who work for FB carry guns and all the chicks there are hot. Silly me. But seriously, I once had the pleasure to exchange a couple of sentences with one of the founders of Netvibes. He said that they will always try to stay clear from excessive ad banners on their (the user's...) home page in the same manner that most people (other than college students, maybe) don't hang huge ad banners in their living room... I liked it. I use Netvibes and I keep my usage of FB to the minimum necessary (thanks god for #fb on Twitter).
Jeff Bernheisel
· 2 months ago
Yeah, I've gotten pretty immune to the ads on Facebook. Every once in a while one jumps out at me, but for the most part I have my mind set to auto ignore.
It's kind of a shame, because as someone who has spent a couple thousand on advertising on FB, I really like the platform and how targeted you can get with it.
Oh well...
Home Security Systems
· 2 months ago
I totally agree with your post.Its really a wonderful post. You did a great job. Some of points from this article are very helpful for me as I haven’t considered them yet. Keep focusing on your next blog. Keep blogging.
FaceFile CEO Rob
· 2 months ago
What I find the most offensive is that anyone can advertise, it seems, and then I have to look at their content until I TELL Facebook to stop showing it to me. How about a little proactivity on YOUR end, Facebook? Really.
angelia110
· 2 months ago
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Brochure Printing
· 2 months ago
Not that I was bothered, more like annoyed, whenever I see Facebook ads that I view as, for the lack of a better word, inappropriate. I don't need to see an advertisement in Facebook about a game that I can play on Facebook. Why not just put real ads of real companies in there?
All Comments
Me: Nope, don't like this one.
Facebook: View it anyway.
Me: Don't like this one either.
Facebook: Haha, we like money...view it anyway.
I can't check my Facebook account when my wife is around because anytime she looks over my shoulder some wannabe Girls Gone Wild 20-something is in an ad for singles. My profile is clearly marked "married". Contextual advertising has been a tough sell because it's a bit hit or miss on a site you're not logged into. But Facebook has such a ridiculous amount of data on users, why haven't they figured how to harness it? And if they can't effectively use their own users data effectively on their own site, what value is it to 3rd parties? How much are those ads worth if they're not targeting users with at least basic qualifications for the ad content? Of course this billboard approach means that ads geared toward 19 year old college kids are so obvious and offensive to adults.
Why are you getting ads with guns and naked girls on them? Because those ads work. Have you ever advertised on Facebook? The same ad with a boring picture probably gets a 0.02 click through rate. Put a hot girl on there and jump up to 0.08.
Furthermore this isn't an issue with targeting and it isn't Facebook who decides who to target the ads to. It is the advertiser. You are seeing a lot of ads for Mafia wars (guns) and people that want you to download their browser search to make money off of search (hot girls) because these are the people who are effectively making money off of FB advertising. Once other (less web savvy) companies release how to better parlay FB traffic into sales you will see more varied ads.
It's a matter of tuning those algothirms to be just right, and certainly although Facebook have been publicly shamed for doing such a poor job, it's not to say there isn't some magic switch which could enable a much more relevant and enriched experience with advertisements on Facebook in the near future.
And, there are continued reports that Facebook is now making a profit, so these ads aren't always likely to be as poorly targeted as Mr.Brogan himself experienced!
Then, the guns. I have nothing against hunters, target shooters or personal protection. The Second Amendment is settled law. The First is, too. So, I suppose the advertisers have a right to advertise guns but glorifying mayhem in games, street sweepers, and wad cutter ammunition seems to cut at the very fabric of a society that treasures these rights. The old: "just because you can, doesn't mean you should" argument.
To the advertisers: Your children read these things.
If you targeted and bid correctly, you could get Chris Brogan's attention with a well-placed ad for only pennies.
I'm dubious about the likelihood that people will leave a successful network in large numbers because of poorly targeted ads. We've all spent way too much time watching TV to buy that argument. Facebook is trying to make a profit. To do so, it's going to hack off some of its users. If they had a way of making money without hacking anyone off, I'm pretty sure they'd use it.
They don't have enough ads to serve useful ones and they have committed to serving the ads they do have to a number of eyeballs. People have suggested using tools to block ads. Chris is suggesting that major advertisers will be slow to jump in and new users will be wary of joining. It's hard to measure because advertisers are slow to jump in anyway and there may be any number of reasons for reduced take up of new users.
I applaud Facebook giving us the option to X ads. I don't applaud them continuing to serve ads after they have been X'd. Other than that, the market will decide what it will put up with.
Thanks for speaking out on such an issue! They need to know this is unacceptable!
I imagine that each of the different methods to access Facebook (web, Lite, mobile, iPhone app, etc) will appeal to different demographics; as such, there is opportunity to further tailor advertising to them.
Of course, this doesn't really address tasteless ads, but that's what that little x is for - and at least they provide that, as opposed to having no control over the ads you see.
It’s reassuring to know that I'm not the only one who hates these things.
I was beginning to think it was just me getting old.
Mike.
it's like that nice clean swimming hole you and your friends went to
then as it grew full of more and more folks
it became a crowded cesspool
with leeches
and people not getting out of the water for hours
marko!
you guys all keep going back there though
ew!
And welcome to my site,
I know there are options for (at least) Firefox out there that will cover up the ads. I have one and it works fairly nicely. It's too bad that facebook has gotten to the point where I feel it's necessary to keep using their system.
Good point
I don't like all the attention that these ads are getting on Facebook. People are starting to make jokes about these ads (and their prevalence) at social media and marketing conferences from the stage... which says to me they are annoying more people than just you and me.... and it is hurting FB's image.
How interesting that you should write about this today. I have recently (as you know) had a lot of problems with a Facebook ad campaign for one of my clients. My client is a large sports and entertainment center and their ads were, to say the least, very tasteful, especially compared to the ones you mention in your article. In spite of that, Facebook disabled them due to "violations" that they wouldn't give details about.
After weeks of trying to resolve the issue, I am happy to say that yesterday the ads were finally displaying. And, I received a nice note from Mike Murphy as well.
I believe that given a little bit of time, Facebook will get its act together and become an effective advertising platform. Hopefully, it will happen sooner rather than later...before users and advertisers alike go somewhere else.
A few may appreciate the ads but they aren't making impulse purchases on FB.
www.facebook.com/nothingisimpawsible
I can't see me leaving it altogether, but I am now a part of another network of awesome people. The founders are sharing their soon-to-be millions with members like me.
I am so excited to see where this goes and I am inviting friends to come along with me.
At least check it out and let me know what you think.
http://responsivetraffic.com/link/helloprofile
What lists are you King? Interested, have not looked at many...
Some people actually like these ads, so I think it's a smart choice for Facebook. The ones that don't like them also have the ability to never see them again. it's a win-win situation.
Thanks for this post!!!
jen
Dear Facebook, Please stop treating your product like Beer. We do not need a Lite version. Just give us one tool that we can customize to turn features on or off as we see fit.
When I looked at the ad process on Facebook, it says:
Target Your Audience By:
* Location
* Age
* Sex
* Keywords
* Education
* Workplace
* Relationship Status
* Relationship Interests
* Languages
Wondering what the "guns and chicks" guys are targeting?
Thanks and keep it up!
Is it a question of the substance of the ad, or is it a question of what the product represents to us. I know Mafia Wars bothers me with millions of notifications. Which is why I dropped it after day one.
When I turn on my video games, McDonalds is advertising *IN* them. There could even be an argument made that gamers are more likely to eat at McDonalds than non-gamers. Maybe the placement is even more beneficial than we realize!
Brands who are advertising on the Facebook should probably be more concerned about the audience they're pushing to and the content THAT audience is generating, as opposed to what ads they're running next to. That seems to be one of the big places where MySpace fell short.
advertised on our page.
I would love for there to be a PG-13 filter. Why do we use sexualization of women to sell products TO WOMEN? I have marked ads of women in bikini's offensive time and time again, choosing "other" and then writing "I DO NOT WANT TO SEE NUDITY" in the comments - and yet they are still there.
And why are ads for singles showing up on profiles that are clearly marked as "married"? Content-related, my ass.
And why does marking ads as inappropriate fail to keep those ads off my page?
I have tried to "like" ads which I deem appropriate and useful, but then if profile settings aren't adjusted accordingly, friends will see the ad along with a "Jen Strange LIKES this ad." Nice.
Kelly
My part time job is as a Leader for Weight Watchers.
Just being female has caused so many sickening diet ads to appear that I've given up "x"ing them.
I began to assume I was being overly sensitive to be offended by Facebook ads. I'm glad to read that I'm not the only one.
Why does Facebook allow such a huge percentage of ads that are blatantly misogynistic?
Reflection of American culture, or self-perpetuating cycle?
http://ntho.posterous.com/update-your-facebook-...
One of my restaurant clients - who was thinking about advertising on Facebook - decided against it because of the ads. His thought was "what kind of company would allow this? And do I want my family friendly business to be associated with it?"
Facebook also got in legal hot water recently when they had to shut down their Beacon shopping service. It seems they were sharing too much information about what people were buying (and the discounts they received). One poor guy had his Christmas ruined when the service told the world he'd bought a diamond ring at 51% off. Ooops.
A thought and possible explanation…
Maybe FB is experimenting with viral loops or social ads. Just read a fascinating article on viral loops and how they may help to create the future of online advertising in the current issue of Fast Company: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/139/loop-de...
The Mafia Wars application is HUGE on Facebook (I don’t “get it,” but I’m amazed at the number of senior level executives in my network who have sent me invitations to join in the fun!). Your blog and Michael Durwin’s comment above about FB’s data makes me wonder if FB is testing a viral loop to measure a user’s “viral quotient” to determine how much that user is worth, in dollars, to a/that particular social network.
Whether it's a test or not, I'm opposed to anything that promotes violence, period. So, I'm with you, and let's hope FB hears the message!
The problem with Facebook vis-à-vis these ads isn't that they are there ... the problem I have encountered is that once I indicate to FB that I find an Ad offensive, irrelevant, or uninteresting FB doesn't do anything to filter these Ads out of my feed.
If FB is going to ask why I don't like a particular Ad, and I take the time to provide them with my feedback, shouldn't they act upon that information?
Maybe we need to flinch a little bit to really see what's going on.
Thanks, Megan
I'll bottle it and send it to you. Should be the salve to cure your agony.
Obviously any Facebook group and company pages need to be aware of these ads more than users, especially if the group focuses on more delicate issues which may be directly related to the theme of the ads.
We may question why "married" profiles are receiving dating ads but again that's somewhat assuming that married users are completely stuck in the stone age where adultery is punishable by death. What I would like to see is stats on single profiles vs. married profiles and what percentage of each actually click on the singles and girls gone wild ads. We may already know the answer, and just perhaps that's why FB does what it does.
Google's ads in Gmail aren't much better, actually they are probably worse. a while back that someone received the devastating news via Gmail that a friends mother had tragically died. While reading this email the ad words box on the right side of the email window showed something to the effect of "crematorium services."
Rebecca
For a company that is given credit for such accurate/well targeted advertising, they completely miss the target more than they even come close--when it comes to me.
But seriously, I once had the pleasure to exchange a couple of sentences with one of the founders of Netvibes. He said that they will always try to stay clear from excessive ad banners on their (the user's...) home page in the same manner that most people (other than college students, maybe) don't hang huge ad banners in their living room... I liked it. I use Netvibes and I keep my usage of FB to the minimum necessary (thanks god for #fb on Twitter).
It's kind of a shame, because as someone who has spent a couple thousand on advertising on FB, I really like the platform and how targeted you can get with it.
Oh well...
-->Are you lusting after a few (or even more) Uggs (UGG Australia) boots and if so, you're in good company, as girls and women of all ages, especially with the simple, slipper-like design of these sheepskin ugg boots, which are relatively easy and very comfortable to wear. And they appear to be affected. Some men are also jumping on the trend and luxury UGGs? Australia, the brand also offers a range of contemporary styles for them.
-->Could you mind giving everyone loves from ugg-boots? There are so many types of uggs, ugg bailey button,ugg classic tall, ugg classic short, ugg classic cardy. How to choose your favorite? Or do you really want to one uggs regardless its style? Despite their design is awkward and slipper-lile, Uggs is one of the few stations that are of general interest, have argued that cross generational lines.
-->Young people, students and young mothers and the Middle Ages, the original Black Ultra Tall UGG Boots, seem pulled the fleecy-lined boots that are manufactured in Australia, with the best materials. Are you sure that your feet warm in winter without socks, and cool in summer so that is more versatile too? If no, hurry up to take one ugg boots on goodugg uk sale ! That's why we see people wear them in schools, supermarkets, on the slopes and even in the most popular beaches in the United States and abroad. Many surfers also use uggs to keep their feet warm.
-->What do you really care about? Is its price or quality, or you just following the general trend? You know what are you thinking in your heart!