You can't opt out of ads if on Facebook but can control them

If you are on Facebook, you cant opt out of ads altogether because ads are what keep Facebook free but you do have different options to control how your data can and cant be used to show you ads, the social media giant has said. According to Rob Goldman, Vice President, Ads at Facebook, you can decide which of your profile fields you want used for ad targeting in the Information section under "About You."  "You can remove yourself from interests under `Interests` and categories under `Your Categories.` You can turn off ads that use data from apps or websites that you visit in the Ads Settings section under `Ads based on use of websites and apps,`" Goldman said in a blog post late on Monday.

Facebook said that it does not tell advertisers who you are or sell your information to anyone. "We provide advertisers with reports about the kinds of people seeing their ads and how their ads are performing, but we don`t share information that personally identifies you. You can always see the `interests` assigned to you in your ad preferences, and if you want, remove them," the post added. Facebook is currently embroiled in a data scandal controversy involving 87 million users.

"We sell advertisers space on Facebook -- much like TV or radio or newspapers do. We don`t sell your information. When an advertiser runs a campaign on Facebook, we share reports about the performance of their ad campaign," said Goldman.  "We could, for example, tell an advertiser that more men than women responded to their ad, and that most people clicked on the ad from their phone. "As people use Facebook, they share information and content - whether it`s liking a post, sharing a photo or updating their profile. We use this information to give you a better service. 

"For example, we can show you photos from your closest friends at the top of your News Feed, or show you articles about issues that matter most to you, or suggest groups that you might want to join," the post added. Data lets advertisers reach the right people, including millions of small businesses and non-profits who rely on Facebook every day to reach people that might be interested in their product or cause. 

"Data lets a local coffee shop survive and grow amid larger competitors by showing ads to customers in its area. And it lets a non-profit promote a diabetes fundraiser to those interested in the cause," the post noted.