Facebook introduced controls to override ad blocking on its desktop website, but there is no indication as yet that it will extend the technology to its mobile platform.

In a blog post, Andrew Bosworth, VP ads and business platform, said Facebook is taking the step because it believes ads can be useful when “they are relevant and well made” – with it also being the way the social networking giant makes money.

Facebook will make it easier for users to control the type of ads they see, by providing options on user profiles designed to enable personalised content.

According to USA Today, it will then make it harder for ad blocking software to detect the difference between a status update and ads, while also changing how ads are loaded to the platform.

Mobile World Live is awaiting comment from Facebook on its plans for ad blocking on mobile, where the social service is now used the most, and where the company generated 84 per cent of its total revenue in Q2, through mobile advertising.

Several reports suggest that Facebook’s app is less susceptible to ad blocking technology because of its design, which tightly integrates content and advertising.

USA Today adds the company is however closely monitoring the growth of ad blocking on mobile.

Facebook is a free service
In a blog post, Bosworth also took aim at some ad blocking companies, which accept money in exchange for showing ads previously blocked, saying the practice reduced funding to support free services available on the web.

“Facebook is one of those free services, and ads support our mission of giving people the power share and making the world more open and connected,” he said.

While Facebook is positioning the move to take a harder line on ad blocking technology as a way to bring more relevant advertising to its users, the company has reportedly been hit by a loss in ad revenue on its desktop platform because of the issue.

Wall Street Journal reports that Facebook added ad blocking as a separate risk factor in its annual securities filing this year.