Spring Break
Facebook ads fail to target student's interests
Kirk Cooper
Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: OPINION
My minor in Spanish pulls up ads for volunteering at orphanages in the Dominican Republic. The fact that I am listed as male automatically brings up offers for $5 Xboxes.
These things make sense, and while it's a nuisance, I can understand the logic behind stereotyping me. Market research confirms that stereotyping is not only fun, but it works. Being half Mexican and half Anglo, I'm surprised I don't get ads for sombreros and bathtub moonshine.
But this morning - hand to God - the bond of trust was broken. I woke up completely baffled to see the following ad on my profile:
"Lonely? Have herpes? Come to the largest dating site for people with herpes! As featured on CNN.com."
No. No. NO.
I do NOT want to date anyone with herpes, and I don't know why the advertisers at Facebook would think otherwise.
The only thing that shows up on my profile even remotely related to herpes is the name "Enrique Iglesias," and that's just because doctors can't figure out how to kill Enrique Iglesias, either. They can only prevent outbreaks.
Yes. Even though it masquerades as a social networking Web site, Facebook is really just a giant swirling toilet bowl of ads. We know. MySpace is the same gimmick. And as a generation, we accept this charade because it allows us to post compromising photos of ourselves for our future employers to see.
It also helps us to get around those pesky restraining orders when stalking love interests.
But if you're going to judge me the same way my first dates do - by looking at my Facebook profile and trying to find something we have in common - get the technology right, advertisers. Palladium may be the new titanium (buy it now!), but I'm more than just a tennis fan. There's more to me than my quotes from The Brak Show.
And for the record, I do not have herpes.
Kirk Cooper is a journalism junior from El Paso and is assigning editor for the NT Daily. He may be reached at kmc0191@unt.edu.
These things make sense, and while it's a nuisance, I can understand the logic behind stereotyping me. Market research confirms that stereotyping is not only fun, but it works. Being half Mexican and half Anglo, I'm surprised I don't get ads for sombreros and bathtub moonshine.
But this morning - hand to God - the bond of trust was broken. I woke up completely baffled to see the following ad on my profile:
"Lonely? Have herpes? Come to the largest dating site for people with herpes! As featured on CNN.com."
No. No. NO.
I do NOT want to date anyone with herpes, and I don't know why the advertisers at Facebook would think otherwise.
The only thing that shows up on my profile even remotely related to herpes is the name "Enrique Iglesias," and that's just because doctors can't figure out how to kill Enrique Iglesias, either. They can only prevent outbreaks.
Yes. Even though it masquerades as a social networking Web site, Facebook is really just a giant swirling toilet bowl of ads. We know. MySpace is the same gimmick. And as a generation, we accept this charade because it allows us to post compromising photos of ourselves for our future employers to see.
It also helps us to get around those pesky restraining orders when stalking love interests.
But if you're going to judge me the same way my first dates do - by looking at my Facebook profile and trying to find something we have in common - get the technology right, advertisers. Palladium may be the new titanium (buy it now!), but I'm more than just a tennis fan. There's more to me than my quotes from The Brak Show.
And for the record, I do not have herpes.
Kirk Cooper is a journalism junior from El Paso and is assigning editor for the NT Daily. He may be reached at kmc0191@unt.edu.
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