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McConnell, P&G's general manager-interactive marketing and innovation, said marketers should not "hijack" their customers and that it is "arrogant" to monetise social networking platforms.
Speaking at a digital media conference over the weekend in Cincinnati, Ohio, McConnell said: "I have a reaction to that as a consumer advocate and an advertiser. What in heaven's name made you think you could monetise the real estate in which somebody is breaking up with their girlfriend?"
McConnell told the conference that he does not think P&G should continue to buy banner ads on Facebook, although he believes there is still value in branded Facebook applications.
However, McConnell warned that advertisers should be wary of encroaching their customer's personal space on social networking websites.
He said: "I think when we call it 'consumer-generated media,' we're being predatory.
"Who said this is media? Media is something you can buy and sell. Media contains inventory. Media contains blank spaces. Consumers weren't trying to generate media. They were trying to talk to somebody."
"So it just seems a bit arrogant. We hijack their own conversations, their own thoughts and feelings, and try to monetise it."
McConnell also lauded Facebook's ability for targeted advertising, but questioned marketers rights to take advantage of the information stored online.
He said: "The targeting is fantastic. You can do really amazing things. But I'm not so sure I want to be targeted like that. I don't think everything every consumer says to someone else and writes down is somehow monetisable by the media industry."
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