Facebook Ads that can read your mind?

[James]

WTF is up with the facebook ads? About 6 months ago I noticed that they were "tailored to the individual". In other words if you like cars, women, job opportunities, etc. your facebook ads reflect those desires. What I realized more recently is how all you have to do is think about something in particular and the ads mimic these thoughts. For example, I was washing my jeep seat covers the other day and lo and behold I look at the ads on facebook and theres an ad for JEEP NEOPRENE SEAT COVERS! Coincidence? Well it would be if I hadn't noticed this happen on several occasions. Has anyone else noticed this before?

[Mr S]

It's not surprising. You post your personal info to Facebook every day and they make their living by selling it to advertisers and marketing men. They know more about you than anyone. Think about it.

[Mercuri]

Pure coincidence. It obviously cannot read your mind, but it can go through your status updates and stuff, I think. So if you said something about washing your jeep seat covers... guess what.
I also find that the ads are always very funny like "Are you X years old? (Where X is your exact age), then we need you for (some job here). Make (bogus and exaggerated statement about salary) with only (some other bogus statement about needing almost no skills or schooling to get said job)."

[*Lyzzie-Lette*]

That is because the government is watching you!!!!
jk Seriously I think they "monitor" your use of the internet, and I think that is like the cookies sites leave on your computer (Norton always deletes "tracking cookies" for me) and they do to an extent try and target particular adds to you. I think it was a coincidence that they showed the Jeep seat covers right after you cleaned your seats, but I don't think they "know" that is the ad for you. Otherwise I would not be getting Farmville ads when I have blocked that app!