If you've ever been appalled to see yourself or your friends used in a Facebook ad, then you're not going to like Google's new terms of service.
The company updated its TOS on Friday to allow an adult user's profile name and photo to appear in reviews and advertising starting Nov. 11.
See also: How Facebook Sponsored Stories Can Boost Engagement
"So your friends, family and others may see your Profile name and photo, and content like the reviews you share or the ads you +1’d," the company wrote in a blog post. "This only happens when you take an action (things like +1’ing, commenting or following) –- and the only people who see it are the people you’ve chosen to share that content with."
In other words, the Google endorsements will closely mirror Facebook's Sponsored Stories. Facebook has argued that such ads are more effective because the inclusion of friends, acquaintances and family members in the ads instills credibility and captures the reader's interest the way traditional ads don't.
Such endorsements will be culled from Google Plus and Google Play. If you follow a brand on Google Plus, Google may use your information as an ad for that brand. The same goes if you give an app a good review on Google Play.
Google is giving users the ability to opt out of the program and is only targeting adults over 18.
This isn't the first time Google has experimented with social advertising. In 2011, the company added +1 buttons to some banner ads. However, the program never gained wide currency.
Meanwhile, your Facebook friends' endorsements also show up in Bing searches. Bing highlights those friends as people who "know something about" what you're searching for.
Image: Getty, Karen Bleier