Facebook Accepts Using Phone Numbers to Give Targeted Ads

Facebook has accepted that it used phone numbers for giving targeted ads. The social networking giant admitted that the phone numbers its users provide for security reason are being used to target them with advertisements, as per the media reports.

The Facebook spokesperson was cited saying by TechCrunch that they make use of the information people give to provide, a better and more customized experience on Facebook, which includes ads.

Facebook uses the phone number that users give for two-factor authentication (2FA)—a security technique that gives a second layer of authentication to help in keeping the accounts safe, the report added.

The Facebook spokesperson said that they all are pretty clear regarding the use of collected information, which includes the contact information that people add to their accounts. The uploaded information could be deleted at any time.

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After the reports of Gizmodo, Facebook confirmed making use of the phone numbers for targeting ads. The report was a research work done by the academics at two United States universities who learnt that the social network makes use of personal information that individuals did not clearly give the site to target them with advertisements.

Other than making use of the contact information users intentionally give Facebook, it is also making use of the contact information they gave over for security reason and contact information they did not provide at all, however, was gathered from the contact books of other people.

The study findings reveal that Facebook uses “shadow contact information” to make money via advertising.

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