Beacon news stories on Newser

Facebook Turning Your Status Updates Into Ads

Kevin Spak — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:56:54 CST

Are you ready to become an unpaid spokesman for all your favorite things? Facebook sure hopes so. The company has just rolled out a new advertising product called “sponsored stories” that will turn your posts into ads for companies you post about. In the example video, a user “checking in”...

After Beacon 'Screw Up' Facebook Ups Privacy

Kevin Spak — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:18:12 CDT

Facebook is launching a series of new privacy features today, allowing users to better pinpoint who can see which parts of their information, PC World reports. Privacy has been a watchword at Facebook ever since the PR disaster that was the Beacon advertising platform, which tracked users online. “With Beacon,...

Facebook to Users: Sell Stuff, Get Paid

Nick McMaster — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:31:24 CDT

Facebook has rolled out a new service that encourages users to recommend products to their friends and make a little money in the process, AP reports. Called Market Lodge, the program allows users to set up personal stores on their Facebook pages and hawk a variety of products from a...

Facebook Fixes Problems With Its 'Delete' Button

Kevin Spak — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:05:00 CST

Making a profile on Facebook is easy, but before this weekend, deleting one wasn't: Not even Facebook could do it, the New York Times reports. Frustrated users filled out a form intended to delete their profiles but found bits of info still accessible on the site. Facebook says it has...

This Way Out? Not Really

Laila Weir — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:35:00 CST

Just when you think you're out, Facebook pulls you back in, say wannabe ex-users who have tried in vain to delete their profiles. The site keeps archives of all profiles, unless they're manually deleted piece by piece, fanning privacy concerns already stoked by the Beacon fiasco. “It’s like the Hotel...

Cell Phone Ads Slowed by Privacy Worries

Nick McMaster — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:50:00 CST

With the mobile Internet and GPS location-based services expanding, marketers and mobile phone companies are anxious to tap into a new level of targeted advertising. But, the AP reports, carriers are proceeding with caution in implementing the ads because they don’t want the perception of a privacy invasion to spook...

Facebook CEO Apologizes for Ad System

Nick McMaster — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 17:07:14 CST

Facebook CEO's apologized today for the company's new advertising system and told users they can disable it, the Wall Street Journal reports. The system, which tracks users' web activities, raised a firestorm of complaints over privacy concerns. "We've made a lot of mistakes building this feature, but we've made even...

Beacon Does Track Users Who Log Off: Facebook

Nick McMaster — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 20:21:09 CST

Facebook has admitted that its Beacon ad system is tracking users even when they've logged off the site, PC World reports. Even those who opt out of the system that broadcasts activities to friends are being monitored. The company's email announcement reverses earlier denials and will likely stoke criticisms of...

$$$ Thrown at Buzz Drive Facebook's Beacon Plans

Jim O'Neill — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 11:42:23 CST

Facebook's efforts to fix its Beacon system show that talk isn't cheap, as marketers increasingly are finding it’s a great way to spread the word about their product. Word-of-mouth advertising has taken off, with nearly $981 million being spent on campaigns last year, a 36% increase from 2005, reports Ars...