Do Facebook Ads "Spy" On Your Private Messages?

Factual Questions
1

I have ads running down the right-hand of my facebook page, and more often than not they either have something to do with one of my “likes”, or a local business. Ok, makes sense.

However, I was having a PM conversation with someone today, and the word “divorce” was used in there. Within a few hours, I had two ads for divorce lawyers show up. That can’t be a coincidence, can it?

2

I don’t have concrete evidence or a cite but I would say “absolutely!”

Facebook exists to make money, not to give you a wholly private venue for communication.

Google perfected the text-targeted ads some years ago with the ads in GMail, and I’m sure every data aggregator (er, social networking site) took note.