Stop Facebook from Spying on You

Dennis Snider

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When it comes to the privacy of user data and information, Facebook has not been on the right side of history. As many of you already know, Facebook has been collecting information about you. But you might not know the extent to which this goes.
Almost every app you use shares your data with Facebook, and it might shock you to find out just how much Facebook knows about you.

With its Software Development Kit (SDK) and pixel technology, apps and websites track and collect data about your device activity and then sends it to Facebook. It’s this data that Facebook uses to target ads to you.

You’ve probably had the weird experience of talking to a friend about some product or device. You open Facebook the next day and there it is. The exact product you were talking about. It starts to feel as if Facebook is listening to you.
The truth is, Facebook doesn’t have to follow or listen to you. They have enough data about you – they can determine what you are most likely going to do.

Facebook announced the “Off-Facebook Activity” feature that allows you to turn this off. It also allows you to see the data that all the apps and sites you use are sharing with Facebook. Conveniently, finding the “Off-Facebook Activity” tool is not easy, but if you want to, click on the drop-down arrow on the top right corner on the Facebook page. Click on “Settings” and then “Your Facebook Information”. You will find the “Off-Facebook Activity” tool over there.

Here, you can clear your history, erasing all the information collected from your account, disable data tracking completely or for particular sites. Turning this off does not mean Facebook won’t receive information about you. They will, but it will not be related to your account.

Just so you know, turning this off will mean that you can’t log in to other sites with Facebook anymore. You shouldn’t be doing this in the first place, but if you are, you will need new logins for all those accounts.

This new feature does not suddenly erase Facebook’s past sins, but it is a great development. For a company that has had so many privacy scandals in the past, Facebook will have to do a little more to earn the trust of its users. That being said, this new tool is a good start.