It took me awhile to sign up for my own Facebook account, because it seemed so intimidating.   But I finally got up the courage since I owned a small apartment building, and rented to students.  The quickest way to check out a potential tenant was Facebook.  Every kid was on Facebook, and what they posted spoke volumes.  I needed my own account to search, so that’s when I finally bit the bullet. Then,  I loved posting photos of vacations and children, and seeing what others were up to.  But now, social media is losing its luster. Help! Ads are hijacking my Facebook.

I’m not sure when it started, but it’s been a few months, now.  I check  my phone each morning and go right to Facebook.  Usually, there are about four or five “sponsored” ads which I must quickly hide by hitting some buttons.  I have to give a reason, then click again saying I never want to hear from that sponsor again.  If I don’t go through this  time consuming process, the ads  may go out to my  friends, cluttering up their Facebook timelines, too.  I’m seeing ads for razor blades, nursing homes, face cream, roofers, and just about every business or product you can imagine. And I’m  getting fed up with the hassle it takes  to get rid of them.

Here’s what they say online  about getting rid of Facebook ads:

“To opt out of being included in Facebook social advertisements, log on to your Facebook account, and click on Accounts at the upper right-hand corner of your home page. Select “Account settings” and then “Facebook ads.” Select the “no one” option under “Ads shown by third-party applications.”

Okay , I did all that, several times.  But I’m still getting four or five ads a day, often from the same places.    Supposedly, I have a “shadow profile”  on Facebook that  collects data about my internet browsing  habits, then sends me ads they think would interest me.  Considering the fact that I receive ads about everything under the sun, I can’t imagine what my profile looks like up there in Facebook heaven.

Help! Ads are hijacking my Facebook.