Social media comes with multiple social media risks. After settling with the Federal Trade Commission for $5 billion and making many promises to monitor the use of user data, Facebook is adding a tool that will allow you to see how the platform tracks your activity outside the highly coveted likes to be in social media compliance with social media federal regulations. It remains to be seen if users will actually use the new feature to protect their privacy.
It isn’t a sign from the universe to buy the pair of shoes you were researching yesterday. Facebook uses the information to target users with curated ads based on their activities and history. Users who may be open to a wealth of products and services can turn this feature on and off. Facebook won’t change the number of ads you see on their platform or the results of your Facebook that inform which ads you see. The focus is on tracking what you do outside Facebook’s page that enables this type of targeting. This new feature is part of Facebook’s promise to be in social media compliance by limiting their access to your data when using outside websites and apps. The takeaway is that you can turn off the tracking or allow it to continue. This may not be as effective or altruistic as Zuckerberg would like it to appear.
Facebook is still a business that needs to deliver numbers to advertisers in order to stay so profitable. The tracking of your off-Facebook activities will continue, even if you turn it off. You can disconnect your activity from a specific website or app or reconnect to a website but keep future tracking turned off on Facebook, Instagram and Messenger. In short, your activity will be disconnected from your Facebook profile. Businesses will see someone clicked on their ad but will not connect it to you.
Facebook is most likely doing this to stay ahead of global social media federal regulations. The tool will impact the platform’s revenue and the outcome of this change depends on consumer adoption. It gives users a sense of transparency and control. Not every user will turn off tracking, which might be what Facebook is gambling on.
The Social Media Law Firm is here to support you as you harness the power of social media to advance your business and reputation. Schedule a free consultation to understand the risks and benefits of social media compliance for your business.
