Facebook May Analyse Users' Browsing Habits

Facebook is testing new web analytics technology which will study how users browse the site, uncover how long they hover their cursors over ads, and whether their newsfeeds are visible on their mobile phones.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the firm's Analytics Chief Ken Rudin said that collected data could be incorporated into an analytics warehouse, and then used to improve targeted advertising. Rudin says he will know within a couple of months whether Facebook will progress with this new data collection initiative.

Controversy about the value of Facebook ads continues despite its recent stock market upticks. Forrester Research recently produced a report in which it claims that 'Facebook creates less business value than any other digital marketing opportunity', while recommending that marketers don't dedicate a paid advertising budget for the site. Facebook dismissed the report as 'irresponsible', after posting a 60% increase in revenues in the last quarter.

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