How to Secure and Handle User Data Responsibly in Facebook Advertising

11 min read

In 2024, Facebook boasts a staggering three billion monthly active users, making it an unparalleled platform for targeted advertising.

Studies show Facebook ads can generate a return on ad spend (ROAS) of up to 4x, highlighting their effectiveness in reaching the right audience.

However, this power comes with a significant responsibility for user data privacy. The 2021 data breach, which affected over 530 million users, is a stark reminder of the importance of secure and ethical data handling practices.

This article gives you the know-how to navigate Facebook advertising while making sure user data security comes first. We’ll delve into best practices, legal requirements, and actionable steps to ensure your campaigns are not only effective but also trustworthy.

The Importance of User Data Security in Facebook Advertising

User data privacy in Facebook ads is essential on many levels, from ethical best practices to legal compliance to building trust with your target audience.

Trust Is Everything

When users trust you with their data, they tend to engage more with your ads, which could eventually turn them into repeat customers. This trust translates into higher click-through rates, better conversion rates, and increased customer lifetime value.

Legal Compliance

Mishandling user data leads to hefty fines and legal troubles. Under GDPR, fines can reach up to €20 million or 4% of global annual turnover, whichever is higher. The CCPA imposes fines of up to $7,500 per intentional violation.

Brand Reputation

Data breaches, though seemingly uncommon, became starkly evident in 2023 when a single incident in the US impacted approximately 37 million users.

In 2023, the largest data breach in the US by the number of affected users was the T-Mobile incident (Source: Statista)

A data breach seriously damages your brand’s image and costs you customers. Studies show that 81% of consumers will stop engaging with a brand online following a data breach, and 65% will lose trust in the organization.

Competitive Advantage

Strong data security practices set you apart from competitors. As consumers become more privacy-conscious, businesses that prioritize data protection gain a significant edge in the market.

Long-Term Sustainability

Robust data security helps keep your advertising efforts going strong. It helps avoid sudden hiccups from compliance problems or breaches, keeping your campaigns running smoothly and without interruptions.

Complying with Data Privacy Regulations

Two major laws that you must know about when handling user data are GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act).

These laws govern different geographic locations and are primarily regarded as the best overarching guidelines for data privacy compliance.

Let’s give a quick overview of what each law entails:

GDPR (for European users):

Get clear, specific consent before collecting data
Tell users exactly how you’ll use their data, including any third-party sharing
Allow users to access, change, or delete their data at any time
Implement data minimization practices, collecting only necessary information
Report data breaches to authorities within 72 hours
Appoint a Data Protection Officer if processing large amounts of data (meaning extensive amounts of personal data, which could significantly impact many individuals.)

According to this survey, about 90% of respondents across all countries considered online privacy important (Source: Statista)

CCPA (for California residents):

Inform users about the categories of data you’re collecting
Give users the right to opt out of data selling
Provide equal service, even if users opt out
Allow users to request the deletion of their personal information
Update privacy policies to include CCPA-specific information
Implement verification processes for user requests.

Best Practices for Data Security in Facebook Ads

Let’s dive into the ins and outs of handling customer data while advertising.

Stay Privacy Compliant

This goes without saying, but it’s crucial to prioritize privacy compliance when handling customer data. Keep in mind the following:

Respect user preferences with Facebook’s privacy settings
Use Facebook’s privacy settings to make your ads match what users want. You can limit who sees your ads based on what users pick.

It’s all about respecting users’ choices on data sharing and tweaking ad preferences to match, like opting out of targeting based on interests or behaviors.

Update ad targeting and data collection practices
You can do that by:

Regularly reviewing and updating your ad targeting and data collection practices to comply with the legal requirements of GDPR and CCPA
Implementing identity theft protection measures and consider obtaining insurance to safeguard against potential breaches.

Provide transparent data usage disclosures and consent mechanisms
Here’s how to do that:

Ensure that your data usage policies are clearly communicated to users. This includes detailing how their data will be used in your advertising campaigns.
Obtain explicit consent from users for data collection and usage and provide easy-to-use options for them to withdraw consent at any time.

When displaying a cookie consent popup on your website, allow customers to select which cookies to enable

If you run an Ecwid store, check out this instruction to enable a cookie consent banner in your online store.

Monitor for Suspicious Activity

A big part of protecting against data breaches is vigilance and monitoring any suspicious activity. This can include:

Review Facebook Ads Manager regularly
Keep a close eye on your Facebook Ads Manager for any unusual activities, such as sudden changes in ad spending or unexpected ads being published.

Use multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Secure your accounts by enabling multi-factor authentication. This adds an extra layer of security, making it harder for unauthorized users to gain access.

Follow Facebook’s security recommendations
Adhere to the security guidelines and best practices recommended by Facebook for advertisers.

Segment and Retarget with Care

Retargeting is a powerful tool for reaching potential customers, but you need to use it responsibly. Only display retargeting ads to those who have shown genuine interest in your product or service.

Also, keep in mind the following advice:

Limit retargeting with frequency caps
When users see the same ad repeatedly across different platforms after visiting a website, it can lead to discomfort, as it feels like they are being “followed” online.

To prevent user fatigue and annoyance, set reasonable frequency caps on your retargeting ads. This ensures that customers are not overwhelmed by seeing the same ad repeatedly.

This retargeting ad is aimed at individuals who have previously shown interest in these specific products

Avoid over-personalization
While segmentation and retargeting can improve ad performance and reduce costs, it’s important not to overdo it. Over-personalization can creep users out and lead to privacy concerns.

Over-personalization in advertising means using highly specific personal data. Ads that reference exact locations, recent purchases, or specific personal information (e.g., mentioning a user’s recent health condition) can make users feel their privacy has been invaded.

For instance, Facebook ads can’t suggest that the advertiser knows someone’s personal info, like their name.

Do: “Print a customizable T-shirt with your name!”
Don’t: “Billy Taylor, get this T-shirt with your name printed on it!”

For more tips and examples of what is allowed with ads concerning privacy, visit the Meta Transparency Center.

Provide clear explanations for ad targeting
Be transparent with users about why they are seeing certain ads. This can be done through clear and concise explanations within the ads themselves or through easily accessible privacy policies.

Following these best practices will ensure that, while keeping your Facebook Ads CPC to a minimum, you respect your customers’ data and comply with regulations on data handling, ultimately saving you from potential penalties and fines should you breach data handling regulations.

Ethical Considerations in Handling User Data

Handling user data ethically extends beyond following laws. It’s about respect and building trust.

Here are some key points to consider when it comes to handling data ethically:

Always get clear, unambiguous consent before using data, avoiding pre-ticked boxes or unclear language
Explain data usage in simple, clear terms, providing examples of how the data will be used
Respect user choices about data sharing and ad preferences, implementing them immediately across all platforms
Implement a comprehensive data retention policy, deleting user data when it’s no longer needed
Be transparent about any data breaches, notifying affected users promptly and comprehensively
Conduct regular ethical audits of your data practices, involving external experts if necessary (you can implement automated tools for that)
Implement privacy by design principles in all your advertising technologies and processes
Educate your team on the ethical implications of data usage, fostering a culture of respect for user privacy.

Wrapping Up

Securing and handling user data responsibly in Facebook advertising is not just a legal requirement — it’s crucial for building trust with your audience and ensuring the long-term success of your advertising efforts.

You can create effective ad campaigns while respecting user privacy by following these best practices, staying compliant with regulations, and implementing strong security measures.

Remember:

Stay up-to-date with privacy laws, making compliance a continuous process
Be transparent about data usage, building trust through clear communication
Implement strong security measures, treating user data as you would your own
Regularly audit your data handling practices, addressing any vulnerabilities promptly.

Now, it’s your turn to put these practices into action. Start by reviewing your current Facebook ad strategies and implementing at least one new security measure this week. Your customers — and your business — will benefit from your improved data security practices.

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Sep 5, 2024

About the author

Irina Maltseva is a Growth Lead at Aura, a Founder at ONSAAS, and an SEO Advisor. For the last eight years, she has been helping SaaS companies to grow their revenue with inbound marketing.