Facebook Says it Will Stop Selling Your Posts as Ads in April

Righting a wrong.

Image via CPA Training

In April, Facebook will final be tossing out a controversial ad selling feature that has ended up costing them millions.

So, you innocently checked into McDonald's while road tripping to Vegas. For close to the past three years, Facebook could have sold that check-in to McDonald's, who could have then used it as an advertisement for your Facebook friends. Surprised? Well, you shouldn't be. The feature in question allowed Facebook to sell your actions on the social network to the companies that found them relevant, and, in turn, let them use them as advertisements. Essentially, you were a one-person ad agency, working for free. Now, Facebook has announced that they will be getting rid of the feature in April.

"Existing domain and open graph sponsored stories will cease to have delivery after April 9," the company said. The company was hit with a lawsuit shortly after this feature—called Sponsored Stories—was introduced back in 2011, which they paid a settlement of $20 million for late last year. 

[via CNET]

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