Photo Credit: Facebook.com
Facebook knows a lot about you. Maybe even too much!
Using a learning model and historical data gathered from other users, Facebook’s “Predicting Life Changes” patent boasts being able to predict major events in a Facebook user’s life.
This includes changes in marriage, divorce, birthdays, new jobs, the birth of children, graduation, and even death.
The patent touts it will use not only updates in profile information, but wall posts, instant messages, email messages, etc. to determine if the user has gone through, or will go through a major life change in the near future.
One of the main reasons for this algorithm is obviously advertising. Facebook has stated that patent applications are not an indication it will use the technology or has any plan to use it in the future.
Do you think this is useful or does this seem too intrusive for just advertising reasons?