Facebook advertisers can use your pictures

[snopes]

http://www.snopes.com/computer/internet/facebook.asp

[One-Fang]

Well I thought I'd have a look. The Facebook Ads tab is there, but I have no settings under it from which to choose "no-one" and therefore have no idea what that no-one setting is supposed to stop.

Since it's in news feed & wall, I'm guessing it's something about seeing facebook ads or limiting them, rather than allowing facebook advertisers to use your photographs.

[terralioness]

I'm missing those settings, too. I've seen this warning going around, and while I find the default settings on Facebook frightening (I regularly go in just to make sure my information is only accessible to friends and not search engines/entire networks), if there's an opt-out box, I'm not sure it could be called "without your permission."

Then again, 1) Facebook is saying that this is a moot point, according to snopes, and 2) there was no opt-out option in my account, so who knows.

I did see some fuss over one of the ads that initially violated the policy snopes refers to -- one hilarious consequence: http://consumerist.com/5302296/faceb...-ask-dans-wife

"Hey Dan!" The ad said. "Hot singles are waiting for you!"

And on the left hand side was a picture of my wife!

[MapleLeaf]

I do have the settings in question, and I was able to change my settings to "no-one". Whether that has accomplished anything is yet to be determined.

[Cervus]

When I checked the settings on my account, the ads option was already listed as "no one". I don't remember manually changing it, but it seems odd that it would be that way by default.

[One-Fang]

What's the "no-one" relate to? I mean, what is the question, to which "no-one" is the answer?

Is it something like "Share my pictures with" or more like "Who can use my pictures"?

[Dactyl]

Originally Posted by One-Fang

What's the "no-one" relate to? I mean, what is the question, to which "no-one" is the answer?

Is it something like "Share my pictures with" or more like "Who can use my pictures"?

The complete text is:

Facebook occasionally pairs advertisements with relevant social actions from a user's friends to create Facebook Ads. Facebook Ads make advertisements more interesting and more tailored to you and your friends. These respect all privacy rules. You may opt out of appearing in your friends' Facebook Ads below.

On mine you had to go to Privacy --> News Feed and Wall-->Facebook ads(tab)

[ElectricBarbarella]

If you guys are using Firefox, you won't see the drop down to select anyone. I had to switch to IE to see it.

It is there, it just isn't as big a deal as they are making it out to be.

[Dactyl]

Originally Posted by ElectricBarbarella

If you guys are using Firefox, you won't see the drop down to select anyone. I had to switch to IE to see it.

It is there, it just isn't as big a deal as they are making it out to be.

I can see it on Firefox so it may be version dependent. I'm using 3.0.12.

[DadOf3]

I found it in Firefox. I clicked on Settings, then the word "Manage" beside Privacy, then "News Feed and Wall", "Facebook Ads", and there's a pop-up window beside "Appearance in Facebook Ads" which I set to 'No One'.

[DadOf3]

Originally Posted by Dactyl

I can see it on Firefox so it may be version dependent. I'm using 3.0.12.

There's a thought! I'm using 3.5.1.

[ElectricBarbarella]

I also have ad-block plus, which I think was preventing me from seeing it. I have 3.0.12 as well. I couldn't see it until I went to IE.

[CSGirl]

Originally Posted by DadOf3

There's a thought! I'm using 3.5.1.

So am I, and I saw it. I changed it too, I figred it probably wouldn'thurt anything.

[One-Fang]

I went there and got this popup:

"Worried about privacy? Your photos are safe.
There have been misleading rumors recently about the use of your photos in ads. Don't believe them. These rumors were related to third-party applications, and not ads shown by Facebook. Get the whole story at the Facebook Blog, or check out the Help Center."

The link includes this paragraph: "The advertisements that started these rumors were not from Facebook but placed within applications by third parties. Those ads violated our policies by misusing profile photos, and we already required the removal of those deceptive ads from third-party applications before this rumor began spreading."