Home Facebook’s Latest “You Are The Product” Message: We Will, We Will, Sell You

Facebook’s Latest “You Are The Product” Message: We Will, We Will, Sell You

Facebook’s latest iteration of its privacy policy is both the shortest and clearest so far about what it means to do with your personal information: Squeeze it for all the money it’s worth. 

Your privacy settings won’t be changing, the social network explained Thursday in a blog post. But its rules for using your location and payment information (when that service is added) are getting an update to accommodate its expanding empire.

To augment—if not distract from—this reminder that it owns its users, Facebook simplified its privacy settings with color-coding and a “Privacy Basics” tutorial.  

From the Facebook blog post:

We’re updating our policies to explain how we get location information depending on the features you decide to use. Millions of people check into their favorite places and use optional features like Nearby Friends. We’re working on ways to show you the most relevant information based on where you are and what your friends are up to. For example, in the future, if you decide to share where you are, you might see menus from restaurants nearby or updates from friends in the area.

While couched in the language of “friends,” this is actually about targeted advertising. If Facebook knows exactly where you are, it know, it knows exactly which advertisements for local establishments to show you. 

See also: Mark Zuckerberg’s Mythic T-Shirt And Fake Silicon Valley Do-Goodery

Soon too, Facebook will be able to help you spend that money by tapping into your wallet with those targeted ads:

In some regions, we’re testing a Buy button that helps people discover and purchase products without leaving Facebook. We’re also working on new ways to make transactions even more convenient and secure.

Facebook’s new data policy is where you’ll find the explanation on the information collected when you buy something through the social network. This includes:

… your credit or debit card number and other card information, and other account and authentication information, as well as billing, shipping and contact details.

And more targeted advertising ensues. 

In keeping with Facebook’s 2011 settlement with the Federal Communications Commission, in which the social network agreed to give everyone a heads up on privacy changes, you’ve got seven days to comment on these changes. 

Lead image by mwichary

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.