I’m a Facebook advertiser (the one who spies on you) ama

[Amafb]

I know I’m not that exciting but see so many people asking about how Facebook/google/whoever get your info and pass it onto advertisers - who thought I’d answer any questions

So how do you get that information? I assume there are ways to opt out?

How come I can just think of things and then adverts appear on Facebook for those very things. Except tin foil hats, which I really really need to buy.

Oooh, thanks OP!

It must work doing targeted advertising obviously, but is it always worth the money spent narrowing it down? Would you use it for the general brand or one product especially?

@LockdownMayhem so Facebook for example will track what you are doing as long as you are logged in (and no one ever actually logs out - we just close the app).
Yes you can easily opt out - next time you see an ad - click the three little dots that say “why I am seeing this ad” and follow the instructions there.

@ConstanceSalinger that would completely depend on the purpose of the advert. So say you’re quite a bit brand or say a charity and your first aim is to get people to hear about you - you might go “wide” but include some interest targeting (so say for fashion - at least age and sex plus people interested in similar brands).
Once you’re into what in marketing wank speak is called “the bottom of the funnel” (e.g closer to purchase) that’s when targeting should be more specific.

@OhMsBeliever MArk Zuckerberg is reading your mind
Though honestly yes I believe that they do listen through your microphone (obviously as an advertiser you wouldn’t ever 100% know if they do this).