Have you ever
noticed how truly creepy Facebook is? Apart from the fact that people virtually
anywhere can stalk you, Facebook now seems to be advertising my page with
things that are surprisingly very relevant to me. This past week I have been
keeping track of advertisements that have been applicable to me on Facebook,
and it seems as if they have found some way to keep track of the websites I
visit outside of Facebook! Creepy.
Since I thought this was so creepy, I took pictures of the advertisements to show in this blog. Let
me give you some examples. First of all, about two weeks ago I purchased fall
boots online. Now, the sidebars of my Facebook page (and even other websites I
go to for homework help) are flooded with advertisements about buying new boots. Next, (as much as I am embarrassed to admit this) I look at
engagement rings every once in a while to see what I like. About a week after
visiting the Kay Jeweler website, advertisements about selecting an engagement
ring appear. Finally, this last instance seems most creepy to me. As some may
remember, my first blog entry was about my obsession with Nikes. Also, I love
SpongeBob SquarePants, and I even dressed up as him for the Ollies Follies
Variety Show. Facebook is now popping up ads on a weekly basis for me to buy
SpongeBob Nikes! How do they know all of this about me?! How are they getting
this information?
I
decided to do a little research to figure out what the heck was going on. I
went to check out Facebook’s privacy settings, specifically the section about
how they use my information to advertise. Here’s the first thing that I found:
Upon
digging a little further, I found that Facebook uses the pages I “like” and
information I share on Facebook, such as my location and gender, to pick ads
that are “right for me”. Also, Facebook personalizes ads for me by using
information from third parties, such as the shoe store I purchased by boots
from. This page even gives me tips about how to impact the ads I see by keeping
the pages I “like” up to date or clicking on ads that I like to see more ads
like it. If you want to check it out for yourself, here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/help/?page=209956322454409.
Maybe
I am just a tad old fashioned, but this is all so creepy to me! I am not okay
with the way they join my information from my Facebook to information from
other places to market to me. It is not so much that I don’t want to be
marketed to; my main issue is that somehow multiple different companies are
linking information of mine from multiple, unrelated places. Who else is doing
this to me besides the marketing business? It is my fear that someone out there
could unite all sorts of information from my Facebook, my shopping history, and
my location to use against me in ways I could never protect myself against.
Since
the ideas of privacy and having certain personal rights are more modern
principles, I have begun to wonder what the Bible says about it. Of course,
there is the idea that our service to God should be done in secret so that the
focus stays on God and doesn’t become about us (But
when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand
is doing, so that your giving
may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will
reward you. -Matthew 6:3-4). Another biblical scenario that
crosses my mind is when Moses went to the Holy of Holy’s to meet with God in
private. The temple itself was a very private place and those who went in when
they were not supposed to were even killed. There is even a commandment against
stealing, specifically another’s private property. It is not outside the
character of God to desire privacy and to keep certain aspects of Himself hidden.
But is this too
extreme? Can the concept of lumping together private information to create
advertisements be categorized as “stealing”? Since I did put my information on
Facebook in the first place, does that mean it is okay for outside parties to
use it as they wish? I don’t really know the answers to these questions, but
maybe the best solution is that no matter what, we need to respect others and
try not to harm them. After all, that is why God gave us the Ten Commandments
in the first place, so that we could live harmoniously with each other while
serving and pleasing Him. So in a world
where it is really hard to stay anonymous (especially to advertising companies),
maybe the best policy is to respect others by not using information against
them and respecting yourself by not dishing out person information like it’s
candy, even on Facebook.
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