Facebook has taken some steps to stop businesses from using your data for targeted ads, and now it’s putting even more pressure on them. Starting February 28, the “why am I seeing this ad?” button on Facebook will show who (if anyone) used your contact information. You’ll be able to see whether it came directly from the source, like a retailer, or whether the company relied on an outside partner to collect the data.
This move won’t stop data misuse entirely. It could, however, help you understand how advertisers got your data and give you the ability to take action to limit their access to your data in the future. TechCrunch also noted that it could help Facebook catch its advertising partners who use information without consent — which in turn would make “unscrupulous companies” think twice about collecting customer information without asking first. While Facebook may not be as transparent as we’d like about its advertising policies, this could be a step in the right direction.
