Facebook Messenger soon with targeted advertising

"If this content is read and analyzed, companies can use our private lives for analysis and profiling. This is particularly serious when, for example, health status is determined from personal messages. It's not just a matter of getting better advertising, but of losing control over our own lives," warns data protection expert Georg Markus Kainz of the Quintessenz association.

Until now, ads were only possible in the main menu of Facebook Messenger, but the patent describes how they could now also appear within private conversations. For example, based on users' location data as well as content from their chats, the app would push personalized ads between messages as a plug-in. For example, if a user mentions the Grand Canyon in a message, an ad for postcards of the sight could pop up. If a user is at the Grand Canyon, Messenger could see that and send corresponding ads as well.

The patent was filed four years ago, according to a "Mashable" report, but only now made public. In May 2019, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted the patent application. However, a Facebook spokesperson said there are currently no plans to actually implement the idea. "We often seek patents for technologies we never use. Patent applications should not be seen as an indication of future plans," it said.

Kainz is not convinced by this statement: "The mere fact that Facebook is thinking of implementing this measure shows that it is in their product ideas. You shouldn't think they won't do it just because they haven't done it so far." Right now, Facebook is under pressure from the public debate, he said. However, if the public stopped paying attention to Facebook and its privacy settings, the social media giant could use the opportunity to place ads in chats after all. (pte)