Many Facebook users worry about their personal identities being compromised on the social network through unfortunate photos or tagged posts. But a University of Cambridge study shows that it’s possible to gain information such as political affiliation and ethnicity just from seeing Facebook users’ likes. Social security firm Secure.me also published a top 10 list of the Facebook applications that require this information when users connect to them.
We're kicking off our upcoming Social Media Marketing Boot Camp with a special keynote presentation by Ella Chick (left), the digital producer at Anderson Cooper 360°. She'll discuss how the network uses social media for breaking news and leverages social media to draw attention to organizations and causes. Learn more about our program and register here. 
Facebook has been experimenting with ways that allow users to be more expressive — such as structured status updates and more info in the “about” section. The social network Friday announced new open graph actions that let people tell a little more about what they’ve done through Facebook-connected applications.
Last week, Facebook entered the gift card market with the Facebook Card — a new addition to Facebook Gifts. Unlike other gift card options offered by Gifts, this is a plastic card that can be used at Target, Sephora, Jamba Juice, and Olive Garden. Noah Mallin, vice president of social media for brand agency Digitas, thinks that the Facebook Card could be a very powerful way that brands learn more about users’ spending habits, and it could also revolutionize mobile ads.
2012 was a big year for games on Facebook, as hits such as Angry Birds, SongPop, and Dragon City were played by millions of users all over the world. Rebel Entertainment (makers of Dungeon Rampage) put together an infographic showing how social games left their mark last year.
In an effort to boost advertising revenue, Facebook will apparently start launching video ads in users’ news feeds, regardless if the person has liked the brand or not. According to AdAge, Facebook will launch video ads in early 2013, trying to attract TV advertising dollars.
For many people, Facebook is the first site they log into every morning and the last thing they check before going to bed. All of that time can really add up. Law firm Morrison Foerster, through its Socially Aware blog, found out that people spend upwards of six hours per month on Facebook, far more than any other social media site. It also discovered that 29 percent of people surveyed watch TV while they check Facebook.
Facebook Director of Engineering Mike Vernal, who oversees the social network’s open graph platform, spoke with Ryan Tate of Wired about his goals for open graph, mobile usage of Facebook, and its app center.
It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is already here. Perhaps even more difficult to swallow is the subsequent holiday season and its accompanying pressures. With Black Friday starting ridiculously early this year, you better be ready to put down the pie and shop. The thought of trying to buy presents to please everyone is more than exhausting. How will you know what to buy? Consult Facebook.
Facebook’s trademark color has always been (and will likely always be) blue. However, on Friday, the social network will turn select national pages purple as it joins Tumblr and Yahoo in support of gay youth on Spirit Day.
It seems like every week, Facebook Co-Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is acquiring a new company or making a key hire. The New York Post reports that his next target might be Hulu CEO Jason Kilar, who recently spurned Yahoo.
