Meaghan Clark didn’t know what she wanted for dinner one night last week, but when she got on Facebook, she found her answer — sushi.”I saw an ad from Hello Sushi and went and got some sushi,” said Clark, biology freshman. “I figured [Facebook] got my information, like where I’m from and what’s close to me,” she said.Just as Facebook is about as mainstream as cell phones and iPods, users are now adapting to the targeted advertising they are seeing on Facebook.  And at a time when companies are tightening their belts, the efficiency of target marketing is becoming more useful. But no matter the trend, college-aged students seem just fine with it.”I thought it was pretty cool they paid attention to where I was from,” Clark said.It’s been a little more than a year since Facebook unveiled a new advertising platform, centered on the idea of easily targeting a specific audience. The network encourages advertisers — when buying an ad on Facebook — to specify what group of people they want to reach. Companies can target certain groups through location, sex, age, keywords, education, workplace, relationship status and relationship interests. All of those options include information users can post on their personal profile.”It’s always a trade-off with giving your information,” said Lance Porter, mass communication assistant professor. “You give your information to Facebook because it provides you a value. You’re able to share something about yourself; share information with your friends … As long as the ads are correctly targeted and aren’t hitting you over the head with a blunt instrument, then you’re OK with it usually.”One of the latest and arguably more interesting Facebook-related ads involves Burger King. The ad campaign, called Whopper Sacrifice, solicited Facebook users to download an application that would physically mail a Facebook user a coupon for a free Angry Whopper if the user “de-friends” 10 people on Facebook. The campaign was recently halted, though, because those users “de-friended” were sent a message letting them know they were, in fact, “de-friended.” Facebook normally doesn’t do that — the company made a brief exception for Burger King.”Burger King did a good job there where you had people ‘burning’ their friends, which does tie into the flame-broiled Whopper idea,” said Jennifer Macha, mass communication instructor. “That just gave them more press, which at the end of the day is good for business.”Not only do college-aged students seem to not mind that sort of targeted marketing, but some like it.”We’re not bothered about it, because we expect it,” said Trent Hill, a history junior from Denham Springs, La. Shelby Barr, business and marketing freshman, said the advertising on Facebook doesn’t bother her.     “If I go to LSU, I’d rather have LSU advertisements than another college’s advertisements.”Experts say consumers can expect more target marketing, especially since these sites are ingrained in people’s daily routines. According to a study released Jan. 14 by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 75 percent of online adults ages 18-24 have a profile on a social networking site. Meanwhile, 57 percent of adults 25-34 participate in online social networks.”As long as consumers feel like they’re in control, they’re OK,” Porter said. “That’s a key thing for any digital media — any of these new forms of advertising. That’s why pop-up ads [anger] people so much because you’re not in control of that. When you’re online, it’s a lean-forward, self-directed kind of thing. You’re in charge.” Like Porter, Clark said pop-up ads on Facebook would aggravate her. But she welcomes the targeted advertising any day.”I understand from the advertising point of view they’re just trying to get people they can make money off,” she said.—-Contact Kyle Whitfield at [email protected]