On Facebook, you share a lot of personal information that is not limited to your name or date of birth. Images, contacts, place of residence, work, are all data that are exposed on the famous platform. It is therefore important to know how you are followed by the social network.
Based on your activities, Facebook knows almost everything about you. Sometimes it even knows what product or service you might buy before you even do. However, despite the reservations that can be expressed in its defect, the platform still seems to be used. But whether or not you want to delete your account, it’s worth knowing how Facebook tracks your activities.
Facebook / Meta on tablet and smartphone – Source: spm
It is undeniable that user information is a revenue generator for Facebook and any other social network. Through the programs we use, our location, preferences and other details, the platform is able to offer us tailor-made advertisements. This means that as potential consumers, we are more likely to be impressed by the offers displayed on our news feeds. In addition, our passage on the Internet is always traceable, regardless of whether you use a social network or visit a website.
Multiple data – Source: spm
To stay on the Facebook model, the latter can for example display advertisements in your newsfeed related to ping-pong or virtual shops to buy rackets. And if you like to play table tennis, it’s surely no coincidence.
Facebook can track your activities through pieces of code called “pixels” among other tracking methods. For example, it can allow with a single pixel, information about the web pages you visit. But what can most challenge in this case is that this process can be done even when you do not have a Facebook account. If you’re wondering how this can be possible, just remember all those platform-characteristic blue buttons that you find everywhere on the net. Interaction with the social network is thus created indirectly through likes, among other things.
However, the Facebook case is not isolated since the collection of personal data is also carried out by other services. This information allows them to have a clearer idea about the user in order to create adapted advertising campaigns.
The social network is able to follow your activities on the platform as well as on the internet through other specific methods. Indeed, apart from the data that you provide on your profile such as the update of your professional/love situation or the photos, the platform has more than one trick up its sleeve:
Facebook can track your activities through advances
Unlike the explicit data you provide on Facebook, there is other data that you leave behind without realizing it. This can be a photo of data that designates your location, your device that tells Facebook which internet browser you usually use, or even the type of camera you like.
Facebook tracks you through third-party data
We talk about third-party data when other companies share your information with Facebook. And for good reason, several companies that you have asked to buy a product, share your information on Facebook which, in turn, offers you advertising. Also note that the platform has a view of your historical financial.
Online purchase – Source: spm
Fortunately, there are a few ways to limit Facebook’s collection of data if you wish. improve your privacy a bit more. Here are some steps you can take to achieve this:
- If you can, forgo the Facebook app on your tablet or cellphone. You can just check the social network on the browser.
- Disable the collection of your activities outside of Facebook in your browser. On Chrome, for example, the most popular browser, tap on settings then go to Privacy and security, Cookies and other site data. Go down then activate “Send a ‘Do Not Track’ request while browsing”.
- You can favor an internet browser like Brave or Firefox which are better in terms of privacy.
- Only share a little information on Facebook.
- Explore your public profile privacy settings on Facebook and change the information you think is important
By having this information in mind, it is possible to have some control over your information and thus improve your privacy.
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