A content sharing button similar to what Digg and Twitter have is set to be introduced this week by Facebook at their annual F8 Conference according to sources.According to the Financial Times, Some marketers said that Facebook would use data from these interactions to target them with related adverts once they return to Facebook.com. The social network site will also replace the “Become a fan” button with an invitation to say “I like” a brand.Several observers have said that they are concerned that the new tool will allow Facebook to track users a claim that the Company denies.
“All the products we are launching at F8 are focused on giving developers and entrepreneurs ways to make the web more social,” said a Facebook spokesperson.
Facebook currently targets ads based on what information users fill out in their profile, including location, age, gender, and favourite activities and music bands.
Facebook is also expected to roll out the “like” function to other parts of the site, including its “engagement ads” – the brand advertising through which it makes most of its money.
Engagement ads encourage users to “become a fan” of brands such as Starbucks and Coca-Cola. This means agreeing to receive messages or special offers from that brand – making it easier for advertisers to insert promotional information into users’ newsfeeds and potentially gain access to their personal data.
