How Do You Get Rid of Ads on Facebook?

By: HowStuffWorks.com Contributors  | 
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Is there a way to disable facebook ads? Towfiqu Photography/Getty Images

Facebook earns revenue from advertisements, but those ads and banners that keep popping up on your sidebar are annoying. Of course, Facebook doesn't want those ads removed, and there is no official guide or application to remove them. To get rid of ads generated by Facebook, you can download ad-blocking programs to clean up your browser page. If you have Firefox, Safari or Chrome, you can download the Adblock Plus extension. Once installed, this popular add-on blocks the upload of ads that originate from certain advertisement sites.

When you click "like" on a product or page, Facebook can then use that information and your name and profile picture, to display targeted social ads on your friends' pages. Using personal information from your profile to target an audience raises privacy issues. Third-party advertisers can also use Facebook to promote their products by posting auto-generated advertisements. You may have noticed this when you do a search on Google for a product and see an ad for it appear in your Facebook feed.

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You can't opt out of seeing Facebook ads completely, but you can opt out of ads based on your browsing habits. To opt out, do the following:

  1. Log on to your Facebook account, and click on "Settings." Currently, you access this by clicking on the three dots below your cover photo. Go to "Profile and Tagging Settings" which will take you to "Settings."
  2. Scroll down to the section in "Settings" marked "Ads." You'll see a number of ad preferences.
  3. Under "Ad Preferences," you'll see three categories for "Advertisers," "Ad Topics" and "Ad Settings." "Advertisers" has a list of companies that are currently showing you ads on Facebook. There are options to hide these ads by clicking on "Hide Ads."
  4. "Ad Topics" allows you to see fewer ads in certain categories, for example, pets, parenting or politics. Click on "Show Fewer" next to each category.
  5. "Ad Settings" serves you ads based on your personal information (education, relationship status, etc.). These settings can be adjusted to reduce the amount of personalized ads you get, but not the number of ads you see. Just toggle off each setting (for instance, click on "Data about your activity from partners" and scroll to "Use Data from Partners" and toggle it off by moving the button from the blue setting to the gray.)

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Delete Facebook Ads FAQ

How can I block ads on Facebook?
If you’re using Chrome, Firefox, or Safari, you can simply download an extension called "Adblock Plus” to block Facebook ads. This also prevents ads on any site from appearing while using the browser.
How do I adjust my ad preferences on Facebook?
You can’t completely opt-out of Facebook ads, but you can change your preferences so that you see ads of your choice. For this, go to Facebook Settings & Privacy > Settings > Ads > Ad Settings. Click “Data about your activity from partners” and turn the toggle off to stop Facebook from showing personalized ads.
How can I delete my ad account on Facebook?
To delete your Facebook Ad Account, click the drop-down menu in top right corner and go to Account Settings > Ads Manager. From there, select “Deactivate Ad Account". Facebook will ask you to re-enter your password and a reason for your deactivation. Choose your reason and click "Deactivate Ad Account.”
How do I hide ads on Facebook?
Facebook doesn’t allow you to block ads entirely, but you can hide them if you are not interested. To hide an ad, click the three dots on the top right corner of the ad and click “Hide ad.” You can also hide all ads from specific advertisers by clicking Why am I seeing this ad > Hide all ads from this advertiser.
How do I stop Facebook from charging me for ads?
To prevent Facebook from charging you for ad services, you’ll need to remove your banking information. Go to Settings > Ads Payments. In the Payment Methods, you’ll see any bank account details that are currently saved. Click the three dots to the right of the payment method you want to remove and click “Remove” to delete it permanently.

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