4 ms·

> Facebook knows more about its users because users tell it about themselves I'd be surprised if Google doesn't know more about its users than Facebook. Google

> Facebook knows more about its users because users tell it about themselves I'd be surprised if Google doesn't know more about its users than Facebook. Google (theoretically) has access to its users' email, physical locations, browsing history, and more. And search ads remain dominant for one time, high value purchases (think insurance or a mortgage).

scarface74 8y ago
And Facebook knows where I actually go based on check ins. My hobbies and interest, the movies I watched, etc. People tell Facebook what they are doing. Besides people don’t use email for personal communication as much as they use apps like Messenger and WhatsApp. For high value purchases like a mortgage, wouldn’t better targeting be by advertising on a site like Zillow?
- DavidHm 8y ago
  Google knows all that things too, without you having to expressly tell them. Where have you been? You are constantly tracked if you have an android device. (not sure whether it also works for iOS with google maps on). No need to check in. Hobbies and interest - search history. The amount of granular information that Google could potentially have on an individual person is terrifying. The search history alone is effectively a peek into your stream of consciousness.
  - scarface74 8y ago
    How does Google know my birthday, exactly how old I am, the events I said I was interested in, everytime I change jobs, my relationship status, the college I went to, where my wife and I went to see a show the other night, whether I am single, married, or somewhere in between? This is the kind of data that people tell FB about explicitly. Google only knows that have a vague interest in running. FB could have a better idea of when I go running because I might have posted about it or used one of the social apps that automatically post to FB. Google can only “peek”, FB is having an active conversation. Google doesn’t have the level of data for iOS devices on locations. iOS users in western countries are far more statistically valuable to advertisers than Android users.
    - usaar333 8y ago
      Might I ask what demographic group you are in? I personally am in the "founding generation of FB" (now a early 30s engineer in the US) and it's obvious to me that at least the people I know aren't giving data that much to FB. While plenty lurk or use messenger, quick sampling shows < 10% of my friends update more than once a month. So to answer your questions: > How does Google know my birthday > exactly how old I am I'll give you FB has exactness better specified, though I question how relevant it is. Regardless, gmail could easily figure this out by looking at inbound emails. Also linkedin public profiles. > the events I said I was interested in Given the lack of updates on FB, search is a much better proxy for this. > everytime I change jobs Email + linked in > my relationship status Search and email is going to be a very good proxy here, possibly better if FB updates are stale. > where my wife and I went to see a show the other night Maps. (And I'd guess usage of maps far outweighs people who voluntary tell FB) > Google doesn’t have the level of data for iOS devices on locations. iOS users in western countries are far more statistically valuable to advertisers than Android users. Yes, but number of Google-Android users, let alone users who use Google products, probably far outweighs frequent FB updaters.
      - scarface74 8y ago
        Might I ask what demographic group you are in? I personally am in the "founding generation of FB" (now a early 30s engineer in the US) and it's obvious to me that at least the people I know aren't giving data that much to FB. While plenty lurk or use messenger, quick sampling shows < 10% of my friends update more than once a month. We aren’t talking anecdotally about “people you know”. Facebook has more than 2 billion daily active users. I'll give you FB has exactness better specified, though I question how relevant it is. Regardless, gmail could easily figure this out by looking at inbound emails. Also linkedin public profiles. Google claims it doesn’t use email for targeting ads and how will it correlate LinkedIn profiles with Google users? I doubt that MS owned LinkedIn is going to share the data. LinkedIn only has 260 million active monthly users. Given the lack of updates on FB, search is a much better proxy for this. Lack of updated by your circle...not based on published numbers. Search and email is going to be a very good proxy here, possibly better if FB updates are stale. How many people use email in 2018 for personal communications? Besides.... https://www.mnn.com/green-tech/computers/stories/how-facebook-knows-when-youll-get-divorced-even-before-you-do https://www.mnn.com/green-tech/computers/stories/how-faceboo... Maps. (And I'd guess usage of maps far outweighs people who voluntary tell FB) People only use maps when they don’t know where they are going. People will check in a lot more.

scarface74 8y ago

And Facebook knows where I actually go based on check ins. My hobbies and interest, the movies I watched, etc. People tell Facebook what they are doing. Besides people don’t use email for personal communication as much as they use apps like Messenger and WhatsApp. For high value purchases like a mortgage, wouldn’t better targeting be by advertising on a site like Zillow?

DavidHm 8y ago
Google knows all that things too, without you having to expressly tell them. Where have you been? You are constantly tracked if you have an android device. (not sure whether it also works for iOS with google maps on). No need to check in. Hobbies and interest - search history. The amount of granular information that Google could potentially have on an individual person is terrifying. The search history alone is effectively a peek into your stream of consciousness.
- scarface74 8y ago
  How does Google know my birthday, exactly how old I am, the events I said I was interested in, everytime I change jobs, my relationship status, the college I went to, where my wife and I went to see a show the other night, whether I am single, married, or somewhere in between? This is the kind of data that people tell FB about explicitly. Google only knows that have a vague interest in running. FB could have a better idea of when I go running because I might have posted about it or used one of the social apps that automatically post to FB. Google can only “peek”, FB is having an active conversation. Google doesn’t have the level of data for iOS devices on locations. iOS users in western countries are far more statistically valuable to advertisers than Android users.
  - usaar333 8y ago
    Might I ask what demographic group you are in? I personally am in the "founding generation of FB" (now a early 30s engineer in the US) and it's obvious to me that at least the people I know aren't giving data that much to FB. While plenty lurk or use messenger, quick sampling shows < 10% of my friends update more than once a month. So to answer your questions: > How does Google know my birthday > exactly how old I am I'll give you FB has exactness better specified, though I question how relevant it is. Regardless, gmail could easily figure this out by looking at inbound emails. Also linkedin public profiles. > the events I said I was interested in Given the lack of updates on FB, search is a much better proxy for this. > everytime I change jobs Email + linked in > my relationship status Search and email is going to be a very good proxy here, possibly better if FB updates are stale. > where my wife and I went to see a show the other night Maps. (And I'd guess usage of maps far outweighs people who voluntary tell FB) > Google doesn’t have the level of data for iOS devices on locations. iOS users in western countries are far more statistically valuable to advertisers than Android users. Yes, but number of Google-Android users, let alone users who use Google products, probably far outweighs frequent FB updaters.
    - scarface74 8y ago
      Might I ask what demographic group you are in? I personally am in the "founding generation of FB" (now a early 30s engineer in the US) and it's obvious to me that at least the people I know aren't giving data that much to FB. While plenty lurk or use messenger, quick sampling shows < 10% of my friends update more than once a month. We aren’t talking anecdotally about “people you know”. Facebook has more than 2 billion daily active users. I'll give you FB has exactness better specified, though I question how relevant it is. Regardless, gmail could easily figure this out by looking at inbound emails. Also linkedin public profiles. Google claims it doesn’t use email for targeting ads and how will it correlate LinkedIn profiles with Google users? I doubt that MS owned LinkedIn is going to share the data. LinkedIn only has 260 million active monthly users. Given the lack of updates on FB, search is a much better proxy for this. Lack of updated by your circle...not based on published numbers. Search and email is going to be a very good proxy here, possibly better if FB updates are stale. How many people use email in 2018 for personal communications? Besides.... https://www.mnn.com/green-tech/computers/stories/how-facebook-knows-when-youll-get-divorced-even-before-you-do https://www.mnn.com/green-tech/computers/stories/how-faceboo... Maps. (And I'd guess usage of maps far outweighs people who voluntary tell FB) People only use maps when they don’t know where they are going. People will check in a lot more.