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The 10 weirdest things Facebook wants to know about you.

 

Take a moment to open your Facebook browser and look at the side-bar ads. How well do the advertisers know you?

Well, they knew I was looking at flights last week, that I order groceries online, and that I gazed at shoes but thought of my budget instead.

This may seem harmless, but new reports suggest the social media giant wants to know a little bit more about you than your name, age and email.

Ninety five more things, to be precise.

The Washington Post has released 98 personal data points Facebook allegedly wants to know or does know about you.

Most of them are pretty standard but there are a few curlers that have us tilting our heads and going: “What…?”

1. Square footage of home.

2. Whether you’re friends with someone who has an anniversary, is newly married or engaged, recently moved, or has an upcoming birthday.

3. The year your home was built

4. If you’re in a long-distance relationship

5. What kind of “mother” you are (soccer, stay at home, etc).

Watch: There are lots of tips and tricks with our favourite social media app. (Post continues after video.)

6. Whether you own a motorcycle

7. How many employees your company has.

8. Whether you are a ‘heavy’ buyer of beer, wine or spirits

9. The types of restaurants you eat at

10. The type of holiday you enjoy

The questions are all orientated towards answers that will more accurately sell you products.

But if you look a bit closer, you will see how Facebook could also be sizing you up for the best date of your life.

Facebook wants to know what you like to eat, where you like to shop, where you like to holiday and how many people live at your home (ooh, racy).

Don't get too excited; one of the criteria is whether you have bought auto parts or accessories. I guess we can go ahead and hope the first date gift is a tree-shaped car fragrance and not an exhaust pipe.

A Facebook spokesperson told the Huffington Post they wanted ads to be both relevant and useful.

“We want the ads people see on Facebook to be interesting, useful and relevant,” they said.

The social media giant also created a simplistic education portal to help explain the method behind the madness.

But we're not buying it - well, not until next pay day, at least.

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Top Comments

guest 8 years ago

FB ain't gonna find sh*t on me! :) I've never had an FB account.