Question: "Can I block ads on Facebook or opt out of ads showing on my account?"
Facebook says: "If you don't want to see a specific ad, you can click the x on the top right corner of the ad and choose hide. This will ensure that you no longer see this ad.
You can't block Facebook ads entirely. Ads help keep Facebook free and we strive to only show ads that are relevant and interesting to you." (https://www.facebook.com/help/146952742043748)
Oct. 30, 2013, CNBC says "Excluding items, the company earned $621 million, or 25 cents per share, from $311 million, or 12 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. Revenue jumped 60 percent to $2.02 billion from $1.26 billion a year ago." (http://www.cnbc.com/id/101152256)
I do not want my students to be trek oxes for profit making by this or any other company. Many other educators do not seem to feel that way, though. Is my view wrong? Or, just naive?
According to the latest news here in the United States, Facebook is going out of style among young people. Therefore it may be beneficial for pedagogical reasons for you to avoid using Facebook. Otherwise, by using it, you may alienate your students unintentionally.
Nelson, I've heard about that; however, is there any evidence (data) about sluggish performance of FB? And, is there any alternative (Google+, for example) that doesn't place ads right on our eyes.
Michael, I think that the mere fact of youthful reluctance to use FB and the fact of this reluctance appearing in the reliable Press would be enough to justify steering clear of FB in your classes. Document these assertions and you will convince your administration if it objects.
As to Google, it is not consistent about using ads everywhere. You should not avoid Google (in my opinion) as a learning tool because it is a wonder. But you can view the relevant programs yourself on Google ahead of time to determine if they do indeed contain ads. For instance, using Perseus for old classical texts and getting to Perseus through Google as your browser is safe enough.
You have to flash that Perseus kernel. Why would I do this? Does Perseus prohibit ads by executing the usual apps?
You can use Facebook to your advantage. I have a dummy account and mention or like products to show students how the ads will change based on my Facebook behavior.
Now that we know that Facebook manipulates their users' data, does this change anyone's mind using it as an educational tool?
A very recent initiative has gained a growing number of supporters: Europe vs. Facebook (see link below). This campaign is based on the many violations of data protection laws (in Europe and elsewhere) by Facebook's operations. The aim is to get a symbolic sum of 500 USD (or Euros?, would be better BTW) for every signee. It's before an Austrian court versus the Dublin branch of Facebook, so they don't claim 500,000,000 USD as would be done by American lawyers. It's meant as a symbol against negligence of protecting your personal data.
https://www.fbclaim.com/ui/signin
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