Marketers eavesdropping on social networks?

It is, but it's legal because most people don't think for a second about the rights they sacrifice when they create a facebook account. I'll bet you can't find 1 person who has read every line of their TOS or the constant modifications to their TOS. Facebook is free, and when something is free you should know that you're paying the price in other ways. Smart people should limit exactly how much information they give to Facebook. I know we all like having "complete" profiles, but all that means is that Facebook and their partners have YOUR complete profile.

Technically yes, but most people have no one but themselves to blame for the information that they put out on various social networks. If they did not put certain information on the social networks, then there would be no information for people to market. People becoming open books just leaves themselves open to many things, but this is a harmless ones. There is no denying the power of social networking but it is a frustrating thing as we know more than we need to and obviously information is key for marketers, to see which way they really need to go. There are just going to be a lot of times where marketers will step in, where they will eavesdrop, gain information but that information had to be put up there on the first place and people need to be mindful that if it is on the Internet in any form, its not really private. The Internet is a very public venue.

i do.if i want their stuff,i'll buy it. follow me around,and i'll be pretty sure not to. but to be honest,it's not the marketers i'm concerned about checking people's posts online with some of the bills trying to pass lately..

Hiya laglen, I think that they do because if you notice if you search for anything adverts come out on the other pages related to what you are sort of looking for. I just ignore them anyway and most of the e-mails end up as spam because I only accept e-mails related to me personally so its like the times when the Salesman tried to put his foot in your Front Door and talk your ears off to try to persuade you to buy something.xxx

I think it depends what you signed up for when you joined the social network. Most of them invade privacy all the time and "own" your information and are at liberty to sell it or share it. This is why I don't bother with social networks other than mylot - and what is put on here would probably make a marketer cry! Marketers are doing what they have always done and targeting those who are most susceptible to their blandishments. Younger people (under thirty) tend to buy more stuff and are easier to sell to hence they are the target group. They are also the most likely to be on social networks and put the two together and you've got the "perfect" consumers. The thing that bothers me is that people think social networks are free - they aren't, they just take your money off you by picking your pocket rather than giving you a bill.

Happy New Year, Laglen! With regard to your question, it upsets me to know that people whom I don't want in on my discussions are "listening in". But when you put yourself out there on FB, LinkedIn, etc., what can you expect? As such, I rarely check FB and watch what I say when I do respond. As for the other social networks I once signed up for...I don't use them. I'm becoming more and more negative about social networking because it's being "misused" by employers, marketers and many many others. Keep in touch.