<p>"For the none of you who really, really wanted to have your Facebook updates automatically converted into ads for which you receive no money and which you can’t opt out of the site has answered your prayers!</p>
<p>Facebook is rolling out a new program that allows advertisers to use your status updates for their own buzz-generating purposes.</p>
<p>For example, if you write an update saying “Just bought me some Starbucks” or you “check in” at a Starbucks location, Starbucks can take that update, slap their logo on it and label it a “Sponsored Story.”</p>
<p>Facebook says that only your “friends” will be able to see sponsored stories generated by your updates. Unfortunately, there is currently no way for users to opt out of the program . . ."</p>
<p>What’s next on Facebook? This kind of reminds me of the old Outer Limits TV show intro [including my Facebook update]:</p>
<p>“There is nothing wrong with your computer. Do not attempt to adjust your preferences. We are controlling interaction. If we wish to take advantage of your account, we will. If we wish to share your most personal information with the world, we will do that too. We control the horizontal. We control the vertical . . . Sit quietly and we will control all that you and the rest our half-billion members see and hear. We repeat: there is nothing wrong with your computer.” LOL.</p>
<p>FB is playing with fire here. They have to do something to generate revenue because all of those venture capitalists want a return of their money, but Facebook is succesful because it is “cool.” This is not “cool.”</p>
<p>Speaking of Facebook revenue generation . . .</p>
<p>“Max says he used Facebook Ads to direct traffic to his computer repair service, and is baffled that the Zuckerberg Death Star is charging him nearly $300 despite receiving only eight weekly page views during the ad campaign — down from his usual 10 weekly hits. A $50 credit helped defray the costs, but he’s still stuck with a $245.17 bill.”</p>
<p>This is just the latest incident in fb’s very long history of surreptitiously mining users’ data for profit. Its ever-changing (and ironically named) privacy settings are designed mostly to make users transparent. Zuckerberg may back off of this newest tactic; he often does when his shennanigans hit the headlines, always accompanied by disingenuous apologies.</p>
<p>I wish I’d seen this earlier. Yesterday I posted something about getting some great bargains on summer clothes at a certain store. (I got 8 items for $100). </p>
<p>But after the status update I put a comment about whether this supports sweatshop labor, so I wonder how that got handled!</p>