ie8 fix
Click Here
madison

Rational Rants

Mitch Ratcliffe
Home / News & Blogs / Rational Rants

Why is Facebook whoring me out?

By | July 14, 2009, 5:24pm PDT

Summary: I’ve been pondering this note, sent to me by a friend on Facebook last week: Facebook needs to recode their ads… It’s one thing when the ad for singles waiting for me is accompanied by a picture of my lovely wife… Its another when the pic is Mitch Ratcliffe!!! I am married. Facebook knows I am married, [...]

I’ve been pondering this note, sent to me by a friend on Facebook last week:

Facebook needs to recode their ads… It’s one thing when the ad for singles waiting for me is accompanied by a picture of my lovely wife… Its another when the pic is Mitch Ratcliffe!!!

I am married. Facebook knows I am married, because it is in my profile. Yet, the company feels free to use my picture to promote singles ads under the headline “Local singles are waiting for you.” I confirmed that this was the situation with my Facebook friend—you can see the thread here.

Moreover, I have never given any company my permission to use my image in advertising. Someone owes me money.

Finally, I don’t think my wife, her friends, my family or anyone who knows me would be pleased to see that I am apparently trolling for dates on Facebook. The numbskull at Facebook who thought of using member photos in this way should learn that “transparency” in our lives does not make our life story malleable and changeable by commercial interests. In a way, this is a libel (a written slander), since it associates my name and image with a perceived act of adultery.

Facebook, if you are listening: Stop using member photos for any commercial purpose they do not explicitly endorse. If I see or hear of this use of my image again, I’ll be thinking about calling a lawyer.

The abuse of personal data is only beginning. Companies that offer everything for “free” are extracting a huge price from each of us in the form of information, images and private records that they intend to “monetize.” It is time to stop letting these companies see how far they can get before someone gets angry.

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily e-mail newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

More from “Rational Rants”

Topics

Facebook, Advertisement, Mitch Ratcliffe

Disclosure

Mitch Ratcliffe

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ratcliffe/?page_id=287

Biography

Mitch Ratcliffe

Mitch Ratcliffe is a veteran journalist, media executive and entrepreneur. He was editor of the ground-breaking Digital Media newsletter in the 1990s and a frequent contributor to ZDNet over the years. He led development of the first Web audio/video news network at ON24, sat on the board of Electric Classifieds Inc. and Match.com, and worked as an investment banker. A dedicated "portfolio career" worker, Mitch is co-founder and Chief Scientist of BuzzLogic LLC, a social network analytics and marketing communications platform developer, and works with Audible Inc. on its podcasting service, among other projects detailed here.

27
Comments
Add Your Opinion

Join the conversation!

Just In

RE: Why is Facebook whoring me out?
zolof_1 22nd Aug
@Mitch Ratcliffe

There are consequently many reasons designed for xanax online en route for not allow and you.
View in thread
0 Votes
+ -
Set your privacy settings
JT82 14th Jul 2009
You can set your privacy settings to not display your information or use you for friends "ads".
0 Votes
+ -
that's not the way to find out
Mitch Ratcliffe 14th Jul 2009
Wouldn't it be polite, just good business, to ask if they could use my
information? I'd like to know what it will be used for specifically, not just
that it will be used.

An opt-out option buried in settings, never presented as an option when
I logged in, is not sufficiently forthright. It's bad business to offend your
customers before they realize they are being used.
0 Votes
+ -
By the way, that setting is four layers down
Mitch Ratcliffe Updated - 14th Jul 2009
First, you must open "Settings," then open "Privacy," then click on "News
Feed and Wall," and, finally, "Facebook Ads." On that fifth page, you can
finally see the setting.

That's totally unacceptable. The use of personal data should be a top-
level preference, not buried where it can't be easily found.

Why, I wonder, does Facebook do it that way? Couldn't be because they
know they are abusing user's data, could it?
0 Votes
+ -
C'mon Mitch
ejhonda 15th Jul 2009
Not that I disagree with you on your photo usage rant here, but...

It's the same game ZDNet plays when one of us tries to contact ZDNet about a typo, an error, or some other issue. We have to search for links to contacts, wade through pages of supposedly helpful content before we can dig down to the level where we can actually find something that begins to approach what we need. Customer support costs money, so ZDNet and admittedly, many other sites, don't want to give it up unless they absolutely have to. Try finding a way to report a Blogspot spam blog, or a Google Group set up for spam link promotional purposes - fun times! FB is doing the same thing, but they're making it difficult for you to take away FB's options to make some dough. It's a weasel move meant to protect the bottom line, which apparently is a priority over customer satisfaction for many sites.
0 Votes
+ -
Are you kidding?
mgp3 Updated - 15th Jul 2009
It's the same game ZDNet plays when one of us tries to contact ZDNet about a typo, an error, or some other issue. We have to search for links to contacts, wade through pages of supposedly helpful content before we can dig down to the level where we can actually find something that begins to approach what we need.

On the main page of each and every blog posting is "{insert name here}'s bio". Click that and at the top of the VERY NEXT PAGE is "email {insert name here}". Two clicks. Not five.
0 Votes
+ -
Think homepage
ejhonda 15th Jul 2009
Whose bio do you access when ZDNet has links on the home page producing 404s, or when they have typos on the home page, or when you get an error message because an image used in a blog is pointing to an internal ZDNet SSL server requiring authentication of the person attempting to view it? (All things I've attempted to report)

The real kicker is when you get an email response 3 days later saying ZDNet support has checked the home page and can't find the issue you've reported, and then you have to point out to them it's probably because the home page has changed several times since then and no longer features the link in question.

They should have a webmaster contact at the bottom of the home page. Just pointing out that this is a common tactic among companies.
0 Votes
+ -
One weasel move doesn't
Mitch Ratcliffe 15th Jul 2009
another justify. And I agree it is hard to find support and do lots of
things on ZD Net, which I have absolutely no control over. However, there
is a big difference between beginning to use private data without
permission?not to mention using it in a way that suggests I commit
adultery?with the attendant need to disclose that and the bad
organization of contacts on a Web site.

Lots of things could use fixing.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Why is Facebook whoring me out?
bondservant4jesuschrist 14th Jul 2009
Yeah I do think it is dumb. I have seen these ads over and over saying so and so wants you to use this app or go this thing. Somebody actually thought I was endorsing one of these ads for real. I already figured it out a long time ago that these people aren't really suggesting the certain thing, but yeah I don't like it that I may be supporting something I don't even like. Now I'm thinking if they don't stop, maybe they need a paid version so they can give us the option to opt out of this ridiculous act.
0 Votes
+ -
They never gave you the option to opt-in
Mitch Ratcliffe 14th Jul 2009
That should be the standard.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Why is Facebook whoring me out?
zolof_1 22nd Aug
@Mitch Ratcliffe

There are consequently many reasons designed for xanax online en route for not allow and you.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Why is Facebook whoring me out?
bondservant4jesuschrist Updated - 14th Jul 2009
Thank you for finally saying something about this. It needed to be addressed.
0 Votes
+ -
lol, who's gonna bell the cat?
erinskieasy 14th Jul 2009
apparently the internet giants can get away with things
like these because we let them do it, if you aren't going
to do something about it (who has actually been offended)
who will.. Nobody, thats who, and the acts will continue.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Why is Facebook whoring me out?
bondservant4jesuschrist 14th Jul 2009
Thank you for actually coming out with this story. I think it's about time some one said something about it.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Why is Facebook whoring me out?
mobilejray 14th Jul 2009
When I do to the Privacy section and click on FB Ads, the page is blank (but still shows the facebook headers).
0 Votes
+ -
Facebook
Cosmo54 Updated - 14th Jul 2009
Thanks for giving me another reason to avoid joining the cyberspace mess called Facebook!
0 Votes
+ -
They are trying so hard to make money....
Dealing 15th Jul 2009
And for a very good reason. Right now they know they are not going to survive if they don't do something, no matter how large users base they have.

I don't think their employees need to worry about that though. Although they don't have abilities to make money for themselves, they are worth billions to companies like Google or Microsoft. I bet those giants are waiting for them to collapse and then will buy it in cheap price.
0 Votes
+ -
OK, but don't value the company's common stock at $6.5 billion
Mitch Ratcliffe 15th Jul 2009
on the abuse of our personal information. The imperative of survival
doesn't justify rewriting a user's personal life for an ad.
0 Votes
+ -
What personal information???
wackoae 15th Jul 2009
You were dumb enough to put your personal information in a public location.

You publish the data in a free service with a TOS that specifically explains that everything you post is theirs to use as they please.

So why am I supposed to feel pitty??? It is your own darn fault.

Not that I agree with the abuse of trust. But in the end, you gave the full permission to use anything by using their service.

There is no such thing as a free social network. All of them are nothing but a scam to get personal data to be sold to the highest bidder.
0 Votes
+ -
My fault?
Mitch Ratcliffe 16th Jul 2009
Abuse of trust isn't the issue, the misrepresentation of my activities
and what services I endorse is the issue. Those terms of service
change constantly, without any presentation of new terms and explicit
opt-in/out choices for customers. That should be the best practice
and, if online companies refuse to practice it, it should be the law.
Every industry that has the power to rewrite contracts with customers
eventually abuses it.

Rather than blame customers for being stupid, why not demand
companies behave responsibly? Your position is that industry can get
away with anything. That's the wrong lesson to preach, if you look at
history. If we'd proceeded on that basis, workplace safety, safe food
and drugs, clean water and virtually everything that a modern nation
can demand of its industries would never have come to pass.

0 Votes
+ -
Yes your fault
wackoae Updated - 16th Jul 2009
I don't condone corporate abuse .... but:

#1- They showed you the draconian TOS and you ignored the very visible signs of privacy issues.

#2- Unfortunately for you, when you give away your rights to a photo, the contract owner can do what ever they want with it. Just ask all the beautiful young girls who sign away their rights to their pictures, just to find out that they are now the new image for a phone sex ad, a men's club or even the local porn store.

#3- What happened to you is definitely troubling. It proves that Facebook will use your private images and data for what ever they can make money. But in the end, you gave them the right to do it. You signed up to their service totally ignoring the TOS and didn't object to any of the abusive and draconian parts of the contract.

Was whoring your picture deplorable?? Definitely.
Should you be angry about it?? Absolutely.
Do you have a case?? Not a chance.

Unfortunately, you have yourself to blame for ignoring all the very obvious dangers (to your privacy) and assuming that they would never do anything with your private data (after freely giving it to them).

I know people don't like to be told I TOLD YOU SO .... but the fact is THEY TOLD YOU SO. You can't complain about something you were warned about from day one. In the end, you have yourself to blame for ignoring basic logic.
0 Votes
+ -
Blame the VICTIMS?
PghNative 6th Aug 2009
That is just wrong.
What would Facebook be without it's users?
0 Votes
+ -
RE My fault?
fatman65535 28th Apr 2010
YES, it is your fault.

Remember when you play in someone else's sandbox, you have to play by their rules. If you don't like their rules, go, find another sandbox!!!

End of story.

BTW, things like

Your position is that industry can get away with anything. That's the wrong lesson to preach, if you look at history. If we'd proceeded on that basis, workplace safety, safe food and drugs, clean water and virtually everything that a modern nation can demand of its industries would never have come to pass.

express to me that you do not grasp the fundamental difference between something important (like food and drug safety, workplace safety, and clean air and water); versus something trivial (like who is following you on Tw@tter). The important things matter, the other $#!t does not.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Why is Facebook whoring me out?
vbnomad@... 15th Jul 2009
I think you should demand that Facebook refund every penny that you spent on their service.
0 Votes
+ -
Missed the point entirely
Mitch Ratcliffe 15th Jul 2009
The price paid is too high, even if I didn't pay them. Your point would
make more sense if Facebook had offered me the opportunity to use
the service for a monthly fee instead of creating an ad that suggests I
am participating in a dating service and that I somehow endorse it.

If, over the term of your use of Facebook, they could generate
$50,000 in ad revenue doing this kind of abusive rewriting of your
personal life, wouldn't it make more sense for you to pay, say, $500
over a decade to retain your privacy, your dignity or, if you should
choose, to cash in on your image and name and collect most of the
$50,000 yourself?

0 Votes
+ -
RE: Why is Facebook whoring me out?
vbnomad@... 16th Jul 2009
You have given a for-profit business your data and images, and are outraged that they have used them in a way you don't approve of. If not using them is in the contract you signed with them then all this whining is for naught. You sue them; not "think about it". Forget the libel issue. It's simple contract law. What they have done is either permitted by the contract you signed or not.

If they have broken the law, then shame on them. If you've signed a contract without reading or understanding it, well...

But outside of this clear cut contractual issue, the bottom line of your blog seems to be that you want the Facebook company to conduct their business to your liking, even though you have paid nothing for their service. Facebook is a business. If you want a business to listen to your beef you need leverage. And when you are using a free service, your only leverage is the contract.
0 Votes
+ -
How 2 disable unauthorized use of your image in ads:
david@... 23rd Jul 2009
Disable unauthorized use of your image:
Click on SETTINGS up where you see the log out link.
Select PRIVACY SETTINGS. Select NEWS FEEDS AND WALL.
Select the tab that reads FACE BOOK ADS. There is a drop
down box, select NO ONE.
0 Votes
+ -
RE: Why is Facebook whoring me out?
Noel249 28th Apr 2010
The settings have changed since you posted this.

Deeper, harder. You have to click on everything in
Account Settings and Privacy.

Join the conversation!

Formatting +
BB Codes - Note: HTML is not supported in forums
  • [b] Bold [/b]
  • [i] Italic [/i]
  • [u] Underline [/u]
  • [s] Strikethrough [/s]
  • [q] "Quote" [/q]
  • [ol][*] 1. Ordered List [/ol]
  • [ul][*] · Unordered List [/ul]
  • [pre] Preformat [/pre]
  • [quote] "Blockquote" [/quote]
ie8 fix
Click Here
ie8 fix

The best of ZDNet, delivered

ZDNet Newsletters

Get the best of ZDNet delivered straight to your inbox

Facebook Activity

Blog Roll

Blog Archive

White Papers, Webcasts, & Resources
ie8 fix
ie8 fix