Research: Three-quarters of users don’t know that Facebook stores interests

About 74 percent of Facebook users in a US survey did not know that the social network builds a profile, in which it guesses about the interests and political affiliations of users. According to many users, those interests are correct, according to others not.

Facebook bets based on what users like and do on the social network what interests are and shows that on the Ads Preferences page. While 74 percent of respondents in a Pew Research survey didn’t know that page existed, 12 percent said they knew about it. Another 11 percent had nothing on that page.

Of all the people who did have something there, 59 percent say that the interests are at least somewhat correct. About 27 percent say after seeing the page that Facebook is completely wrong. The social network uses the interests to show targeted advertisements. With regard to political preferences, something that is easier in the United States due to the existence of two large parties, Facebook guesses well in 73 percent of the cases.

The results are based on a survey that took place around September last year among 963 respondents. Pew says the margin of error for the results is around 3.4 percentage points. Facebook has not commented on the results of the investigation.

Disclaimer: This Facebook user wasn’t even aware that candy called “nerds” existed.