How To Remove Your Name and Profile Picture from Facebook's Social Ads

NOTE: A previous version of this post said that Facebook had recently rolled out a new feature called "Social Ads." That feature was actually launched in 2007. We regret the confusion.
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Facebook is constantly evolving, and lately it seems like a bad thing, at least for its users.

First, you had to opt out of Instant Personalization, which shared your personal information with Facebook's partner sites. Then, you had to take drastic measures to secure your home address and mobile number from third-party apps and websites. And now?—Now you need to opt out of Facebook Ads.

Actually, it's not a new thing. Facebook rolled out "Social Ads" a few years back, which allows your name and profile picture to appear in advertisements displayed to your friends. As of right now, this is only relevant to ads that have a direct social connection with you, e.g. when you like a Facebook Page, Event or App (see image at right). And guess what? It's totally legal and stated in their privacy policy:

"We occasionally pair advertisements we serve with relevant information we have about you and your friends to make advertisements more interesting and more tailored to you and your friends. For example, if you connect with your favorite band’s page, we may display your name and profile photo next to an advertisement for that page that is displayed to your friends. We only share the personally identifiable information visible in the social ad with the friend who can see the ad."

Okay, so who cares if one of your friends see your name or photo next to something you liked or discussed? It's not that big of deal, is it? For some, yes. But this isn't the worse thing—the worst thing is Facebook's forthcomingness about their future intentions.

"Facebook does not give third party applications or ad networks the right to use your name or picture in ads. If this is allowed in the future, this setting will govern the usage of your information."

Stating that means they will one day let third-party apps abuse your name and photo, which means you need to take control of your privacy rights NOW—to prevent your likeness to be posted all over Facebook, even if it is only for confirmed friends. If you don't want your name or photo promoting their services in any way, shape or form, follow these steps to opt out of Social Ads.

Step 1 Log In

To start changing your preferences for Facebook ads, make sure you're logged into your Facebook account.

Step 2 Account

Click on the Account tab in the top right-hand corner.

Step 3 Account Settings

From the drop-down menu, select Account Settings.

Step 4 Facebook Ads

When in My Account, click on the Facebook Ads tabs at the far right.

Step 5 Third-Party Ads

When on the Facebook Ads page, make sure you change the the default setting for allowing ads on platform pages to show your information. Switch it from "Only my friends" to "No one" and Save Changes. This will protect you from showing up in future ads for third-party apps and websites.

Step 6 Social Ads

Now, scroll down a little bit further, to the bottom of the page, and make sure you change the settings for showing your social actions in Facebook ads. Switch it from "Only my friends" to "No one" and Save Changes. This will protect you from showing up in all present ads for Pages, Events and Apps.

Notes

• Facebook will never sell your information to advertisers.
• Facebook actively enforces policies that help protect your experience with third-party apps and ad networks.

For more information on Facebook Ads, visit the Help Center on Facebook, or the Social Ads info page.

Via How To Remove Your Name and Profile Picture from Facebook's Social Ads on WonderHowTo.

Comments

[Redwood Eagle]

07:28 PM on 03/24/2011

I dunno. I LIKE this aspect of Facebook. Whenever any of my so called "friends" shows up as having "liked" some right wing, tea bagger, bull pucky, it gives me an excuse to unfriend them. I find it a great way to screen people. Of course, right wingers can do the same to me. Which is fine. I don't want Facists for friends.

[brux]

02:06 PM on 03/24/2011

Oh .... I must have done this a long time ago.

[Jim8]

01:32 PM on 03/24/2011

Explained here:
http://www.theonion.com/video/cias-facebook-program-dramatically-cut-agencys-cos,19753/

[hkochii]

09:38 AM on 03/24/2011

Excellent! Everyone needs to do this.

[maninaustin]

11:46 PM on 03/23/2011

Thanks. Informative and useful post.

[Mike Haakstad]

05:55 PM on 03/23/2011

LOL

Step One: Don't click "Like" on ads.

Step Two: This will no longer affect you.

Sorry, would it be more fashionable to turn up my nose and say "I'm not on Facebook, because I care about my privacy but wouldn't be able to resist posting up all sorts of personal details that I wouldn't want anyone to know about."?

Seriously - treat every single thing you do on Facebook as if it will be permanently and totally public. Don't want to share your address or phone number? Don't enter it. Don't want to be associated with ads? Don't click on them. How hard is it?

[plugnpillai]

03:31 PM on 03/23/2011

This May, it will be one year since I dropped Facebook. I am still alive, and even better for the time I am saving daily.

[oldtribe]

02:21 PM on 03/23/2011

Even more interesting are all the websites now FORCING folks to disclose their FB logins to participate, and in some cases, to view the website. If your Privacy settings are set as above, you are compelled to "Allow [the website] to access, and access automatically at any time, your Friend's List, your Likes, and your message traffic from now on". Soon, persons who do not wish to allow undisclosed corporations, persons, who the heck knows(???) to access ALL YOUR PERSONAL BUSINESS AND USE IT HOWEVER THEY PLEASE then you just won't be able to use the internet, at least commercial websites. No doubt they have determined that they will make more money from in-depth, intense, personal data mining and parsing than they will lose from the "non-adopters" (the industry term) who refuse to give them the same person access as one would give their best friend (but probably not their mother)!

I can see FB's user count almost doubling over the next couple months, if you get my "drift".

[mdavidson]

01:12 PM on 03/23/2011

Best quote on fafcebook;

"We are not facebook's customers. We are facebook's products."

[hazbro24]

11:11 AM on 03/23/2011

https://ssl.facebook.com/help/contact.php?show_form=delete_account

[SisterAnn]

08:11 AM on 03/23/2011

I am dropping facebook.

This fall all of the cable and satellite companies that bring you TV programs are going to have pop up ads.

For instance if there is a purse, an ad will pop up where you can buy it.

I may finally cut my cable off.

[ikoniqueOS]

02:50 AM on 03/23/2011

Facebook's value proposition to it's users is; we give you some free server space and a crappy interface then own everything you do and say online. Now they are using you to provide free endorsements for their advertisers.

On the 11th April they will have some real competition from a free and open source project that allows social networking with complete privacy as there is no central hub at all. It's just you and your friends.

[James Weisbrod]

08:58 PM on 03/22/2011

I hate Facebook. It was okay was just a social network, but now it's a self appointed social cleansing identity framework.

I can't get on to websites anymore to post comments because somehow they know who I am and don't like the richness or depth of my profile. I've been Facebook Banned. I no longer have the ability to participate on some websites I used to like.

The last year has been a real big downfall for them in my perspective. I didn't have any issues with them until recently, and I am almost certain they are crossing the line in very noticable ways that will offend much more people than myself or any other previous internet company for that matter.

[brux]

02:04 PM on 03/24/2011

> I've been Facebook Banned.

What does that mean?

[James Weisbrod2]

12:23 AM on 04/22/2011

It basically means I can't participate with any website that has facebook authentication.

I'm banned... I didn't even do anything...

[ProgressivePicon86]

05:51 PM on 03/22/2011

Facebook should also stop making comments/posts on every fan page, public on Google if someone types your name in there.

[MotorcycleBoy]

04:49 PM on 03/22/2011

done & done