For long, advertisers who sell their ads on Facebook have complained that the social network does not provide an adequate degree of transparency. In response to this, Facebook has finally announced that it will be displaying a blue ‘AdChoices’ icon on all such ads which are served through its FBX ad exchange.
The little blue icon will essentially serve to inform the user that he is being provided targeted ads which are dependent on his online behavior and that he can opt out of the program if he doesn’t want to get such ads. However, the icon won’t appear directly on the displayed ads which are a part of the ad exchange program – rather, it would appear as a tiny option above the ads.
Even then, it is a welcome move forward by Facebook. The company’s director of product marketing, Brian Boland stated “We have always given our users the ability to provide feedback on and control the ads they see on Facebook, by hiding, reporting, or clicking through to learn more about why particular ads are being served. Giving advertisers the ability to implement the AdChoices icon provides another option; another mechanism of control.”
A number of ad agencies have cited concerns in the past over the lack of the blue icon on FBX ads. This essentially puts them at odds with industry standards when it comes to tackling targeted ads. However, with the introduction of the blue icon, Facebook has finally made things easier for itself and for the advertisers alike. The blue icon will be implemented in FBX ads by the end of March.
Courtesy: AdAge
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