Facebook thinks I’m old and fat.
by that damn redhead on January 29, 2009
in Funny, Rants, Social Media
We all should know how it works by now — Facebook takes info from your profile & IP address and then targets ads at you in the sidebars. To make it even easier for them to tailor to your consumer needs, if you do or don’t like something, you can rate it with a “thumbs up” or a “thumbs down” and even tell them why you did or didn’t like the ad. Seem fair enough. I cooperate with them and rate ads sometimes, because hey, I’ve actually found some pretty interesting stuff through them, and isn’t that their ultimate purpose?
One would think.
However, the past few weeks I’ve noticed that my ads were increasingly about weight loss.
I’m going to be frank here — although I am a woman and generally we with the XX chromosome sequence do tend to be more 
self-conscious about our weight — I’m not fat.
I’m not as thin as I used to be, but honestly, I can’t complain and I don’t, especially on my Facebook profile. I don’t even talk about my weight in my status updates, which are constantly changing. Why? Because I’m not an insecure teenager starving for attention (otherwise I’d be on MySpace), and I’m comfortable in my own skin. Sure, I’d like to lose 5-10 lbs., but who wouldn’t?
So I repeatedly tell these weight-loss ads “thumbs down” and tell them “irrelevent,” “uninteresting,” and even “offensive.” They keep coming.
I got to the point where I just ignored them. I rated other ads that are more relevant to me, things about writing, public speaking, social media, local bands, etc.
Then I turned 30.
Now, apparently not only does Facebook think I’m fat but it also thinks I’m old. Case in point:
It should be stated that I am not a mom, nor do I look as old as 30 (I’m sure there’s a strong correlation there). As a redhead, I am extra careful of exposing my skin to the sun for very long, else I turn into one big freckle and seriously increase my chances of getting skin cancer. “Pale and proud!” is a motto of mine. I’m OK with this, and I count my blessings for having a combination of good genes and brains enough to not tan, therefore, I do not have wrinkles.
Yet Facebook is relentless. No matter how many “thumbs down” I give these ads, according to their keyword spiders or little men on the other side of the monitor, or however these things are decided, I am now not only fat but old. And not just “aging,” but old. For the past few days, this is what I’ve gotten:
This, my friends, is Barbara Walters. Granted, Barbara Walters is one of the women at the top of my personal “Most Admired” list, but nowhere on my profile do I mention her name. And God bless Bawba Wawa, she does look great for her age (though I’m sure she’s had work done), she is 78 years old.
Now, not only does Facebook think I’m fat, but it thinks I’m old, too.
Facebook thinks I’m Sally Struthers. Or someone like her, I mean. Hovering somewhere around 60, bigger-boned than I’d like, dying to look younger and thinner.
Amazing.
What kind of off-targeted ads do you get on sites like Facebook and other networking platforms? What/who do you think Facebook thinks you’re like? I’d rather not be like Sally Struthers, but I’m sure there’s got to be worse … right?
… right?!
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Your Cheatin' Heart by Patsy Cline
Maybe you old and fat ad-beckoning women should form your own networking group in protest and solidarity.
What a hoot!
Ari Herzog’s last blog post..How to Watch Super Bowl Ads at $0 Cost
We know you’re young and svelte
I’m a middle aged lady.
I get ads for male pattern baldness.
Today, one of my ad headlines is “Meet Single Men” — with a pic of a 20-something. Handsome, sure — but not in my age group!
Also, a wine ad. Which is fine. I like wine. But not at 7:30 in the morning. (Might it not be better to start with the wine ads at, say, 4pm?
Laura Bergells’s last blog post..Presentation, Conversation, and Improv
I tend to tune out the ads. Damn you, now I will probably notice them and be offended as I am older than you and probably have nursing homes sniffing around my profile.
That’s hilarious! I did notice some of the ads you mention … I am old and somewhat fat, but how Facebook knows that is beyond me. I seem to remember one about a handsome hunk of flesh; is that the one you are talking about?
Gillian Swart’s last blog post..A shout out to my friends in Everett
Too funny – not funny you got hit with all these self doubting Facebook ads – but your post here is quite comical.
To be honest I seldom pay attention to these ads and rarely notice what they are advertising.
But I am a guy and we rarely notice anything unless we want to. Maybe Facebook advertising doesn’t work on us?
DaveMurr’s last blog post..Social Media Lessons from Hannibal Lecter
Hilarious! I have been ignoring the ads but I do recall seeing a LOT about pregnancy and breastfeeding, fertility, etc. I have NEVER mentioned any of these things, not in my feed, my profile, nada. They must be judging on some of my friends’ profiles, that is my only guess.
Do you have old and fat friends? LOL!
-Christine
PurpleCar’s last blog post..My Room in Twitter
Wow. I take exception to the “mom” comment.
But maybe it’s because I’m old.
And fat.
Wait until you start getting the AARP mailings…
WritRams’s last blog post..No surprise that "chaff" was my word-o-day.
Yep – I get the inappropriate ads, too. I’m married, but I’m always getting information on dating sites. I’m not as thin as I’d like to be, but not fat either – and I get nothing but stuff for gym memberships. Facebook also thinks I’m unemployed.
But honestly, at 45 I fit the profile of my generation. I don’t notice the ads unless I think about them.
It never ends. I just got an ad that says, “Women born in the ’70s look 25!” in Facebook … um … I’ve been told I look younger than 25, but still …
May I suggest that Facebook simply hasn’t sold any other ads that come even close to a target market you are in?
Enjoyed reading this!
Sorry for having to deal with the frustrating ads
David Benjamin’s last blog post..Voices of Detroit#15-Social Media, Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, international business and more!
Apparently Facebook thinks I’m lazy, really really lazy. At one point in time I had an ad with a picture of gentlemen standing next to a lamborghini with the text underneath indicating that he made millions while being lazy. The ad was repeated in all 3 ad spots! What are the odds?
I refreshed the page and 2 of the 3 changed. The two new adds? Also on how to be lazy and make millions. So the same message just with three different ads. Awesome! Maybe I visit facebook too much and that translates into me being lazy?
So I decided to check what shows up right now and I get an ad for racing, one for Nascar and one for a free tent. I’m not much of a camper, but I do like Nascar, so maybe I should enter for the free tent and head out to the next race at MIS. Wow, thanks Facebook! Your targeted advertising really works!
@DaveBenjamin it’s all for the entertainment IMHO
@turbobrown that’s funny. Mine are getting a little more targeted now, things like writing, publishing, and working in New Zealand (?!) are showing up today. (I’m not sure about that last one.) I still do get the “Lose 4 dress sizes!” ones … and if I actually did that, I’d be like, anorexic skinny. Noooooo thank you.
I’m definitely pregnant… according to Facebook.