Want to Know What Facebook Is Collecting on You
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Summary: What Does Facebook Know Nigh Me?
Facebook collects an incredible corporeality of information about its users. This goes beyond the data yous post on your contour: it also tracks your location, payments, interests and device information.
With all this data, Facebook tin create a detailed profile of who you are and what you exercise. They tin can then use this to display personalized ads to users.
If you're curious most what information Facebook has gathered from your business relationship, follow these steps:
- Log in to Facebook and go to your settings.
- Click on "Your Facebook Data" so "Access Your Data".
- Click on the category you wish to view: here you'll see a list of all data Facebook has collected about yous inside this category.
Want to know exactly what information Facebook collects well-nigh you and what y'all can do near it? Read our full article beneath to notice out.
Facebook is a huge social network that has over 2.6 billion users. Of all those people, one.73 billion tin can exist found using the platform every day. In brusque, it is one of the largest social networks e'er. Facebook's influence spreads beyond the entire globe – and considering of that Facebook has been able to collect information about a lot of internet users.
Privacy experts take long been concerned near how Facebook collects and uses information. On the one mitt, they collect data that users willingly and knowingly provide to the visitor. On the other manus, nevertheless, there is plenty of data collected without users existence enlightened of it. In fact, Facebook might just know more about you than your closest friends practice.
Many privacy watchdogs have called out Facebook over the years. The social media company has even gotten several large fines for invading the privacy their users. The about famous example is the Cambridge Analytica scandal that cost Facebook and its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, dearly. Regardless, countless people still provide Facebook with valuable information, which is and so used for marketing purposes.
You might be wondering what kind of information this is. What does Facebook know near us? And how tin can we protect our data and privacy?
How Much Does Facebook Know About Y'all?
Facebook is a social media platform. It was set to allow users to share information about their lives with friends in their network. Therefore, information technology isn't surprising that Facebook knows everything you lot've called to share on your folio. Merely the information collection doesn't stop there. Facebook knows more most you than you might remember.
Facebook closely tracks and collects data near your:
- Facebook contour
- Actions on the platform
- Browsing data
- Device data
- Political preferences
- Location
- Finances
- And much more than
In fact, Facebook knows pretty much everything you've ever washed on their social network. Moreover, it fifty-fifty knows what you've been doing online across their website. Below, nosotros'll hash out how Facebook gets this information and what they do with it.
Facebook Knows What You're Doing
First of all, Facebook knows exactly what y'all're doing on their platform. You log in to your own unique account and create your own content. Information technology'south very probable that you used your ain name, email address, date of nativity, and possibly your phone number to create this business relationship. Facebook tin see all of this data. On top of that, it can see your publicly shared messages, condition updates, comments, and likes. If your child uses Facebook Messenger Kids, Facebook will get together information virtually that, also.
Just by using their service, y'all voluntarily offer Facebook even more than information. The visitor keeps rails of when and to whom you send chat messages. Facebook as well knows who you've befriended and who you receive friendship requests from, as well as to whom you lot send them yourself. Facebook fifty-fifty tracks the metadata attached to whatsoever files y'all upload. This could allow them to find out your location, for example. We will hash out this in more detail subsequently on.
Facebook's privacy argument proves that the visitor isn't very privacy conscious when it comes to the handling of all this information: "Our systems automatically process content and communications from you and others in order to clarify the context and notice out what they are about." In other words, nix you do on Facebook is individual.
Collecting technical details
The reach of Facebook goes even further. In addition to the metadata Facebook collects, the visitor keeps track of even more technical data. This mode, Facebook knows all kinds of details almost the devices you utilise. These include the make, your operating system, the apps y'all've installed on your phone, device IDs, Wi-Fi admission point signals, accessible Bluetooth and cell tower signals, and stored cookies.
Some of your phone'due south default settings are besides shared with Facebook, including information virtually your linguistic communication, time zone, IP address, internet speed, and other devices connected to the same network. This manner, the company probably knows who your roommates are but considering you all use Facebook as well as the same network.
Facebook takes another step deeper into data collection. Fifty-fifty your device's actions are traced. Every mouse movement is registered, partly in order to distinguish real users from bots, but also to see how much time y'all spend looking at a certain post or ad. All deportment you perform using Facebook'southward products are stored and, where possible, used to make a turn a profit.
Your finances and transactions
There are times when Facebook users share their financial data with the social media platform. This happens when they use Facebook for transactions, such as a donation or a game buy. An awful lot of information about these transactions is stored: your payment details (including your account number and other card details), account and verification details, as well as billing and shipping information, including your contact details.
Besides the fact that this is all very sensitive information, Facebook tin can also draw many conclusions nigh you with this information. Facebook might categorize yous based on the number of credit cards you lot ain, for example. The company as well knows how to combine this financial information with other information. They could use it to conclude that yous are engaged and therefore more likely to click on wedding advertisements.
Friends and partners of Facebook
The data Facebook receives about you doesn't just come from your actions and posts. Others might also reveal crucial information near you in their own content and posts. This applies when a friend posts pictures of you lot online (especially when facial recognition is used), simply too when they ship you instant messages or upload their contact information to Facebook. All of these contacts will then be available to and saved by Facebook.
Partners of Facebook tin also share data nigh you lot with the network – and this is washed on a big calibration. Whatsoever company that collaborates with Facebook can provide data to the social media platform to be added to their database. This way Facebook knows exactly how you collaborate with other websites and gets more insight into your online behavior and activities. With all this information, Facebook'southward contour of you lot volition rapidly get increasingly attractive to advertisers. And the more detailed your profile, the more profitable you'll be for the company.
You may be wondering whether that network of Facebook partners is really that big. The answer is yep. Every website and service where y'all can log in with Facebook (such every bit Spotify), every page with a Facebook pixel (similar almost news websites) – all of these platforms pass on information to Facebook. Due to this dense network, there is very footling that Facebook doesn't know about us.
Facebook Knows Where You Are
Well-nigh 80 percent of Facebook users visit the platform exclusively from their smartphone. If nosotros add the users who, likewise using Facebook on their phones, also apply it on their desktop, nosotros're even closer to 100%. This makes sense: many people will likely bank check Facebook on the get.
Most people don't realize that installing the Facebook app on their phone also means that Facebook could constantly know where you are. Facebook uses your phone's location to keep track of where yous are at any given time.
How does Facebook know your location?
Facebook gets all kinds of detailed location data from a variety of sources. Beginning of all, your GPS tin can accurately indicate where you are. Even when your GPS is turned off, yet, Facebook tin still observe out where you are. Using Wi-Fi points, Bluetooth signals and masts in your area, the company can get an accurate idea of your location. Of class, your IP address might besides play a part in this, although usually this isn't even necessary.
It gets even more than serious: Facebook can even determine your location based on images gathered from your smartphone camera and any media you've created. If you post a photo with the Eiffel Tower on Facebook, no one will wonder where you are in that moment, but even with lesser known sights Facebook will before long find out where yous are. This isn't speculation, either: Facebook's privacy policy states that they may and tin can analyze and use all of this information.
Your location history is used for marketing
You tin view your location history online when you've got the Facebook app for smartphone. As long as y'all're logged in, your account will prove exactly where you've been. These detailed logs are incredibly useful for Facebook.
After using the app for just a short amount of time, the company volition know where you lot live, piece of work, play sports, and party. Your location might reveal where your children go to school, allowing Facebook to then guess their ages. Facebook volition know your favorite stores, besides as how much time you spend in them on average. With all of this information, the company volition even be able to determine the day when you're most likely to go shopping.
Facebook can utilize location data to set up ads more finer. If your location suggests you lot're looking for a car dealer, Facebook will laissez passer on this data. Advertisers will then receive a warning proverb that now might be a practiced fourth dimension to put some auto ads on your timeline. The same goes for other situations: a couple of visits to a gynecologist can already effect in an increase of the amount of advertisements for infant products on your timeline.
The possibilities – and risks – are endless. Meanwhile, many Facebook users deliberately remove their location from their profile without knowing their every step is being traced anyway. Yous may exist able to easily hibernate your personal information from other users, but non from Facebook and its partners.
Due to local laws, Facebook's information gathering strategy works slightly different in some regions and countries compared to others. In the European Wedlock, for instance, the GDPR ensures that some information is automatically protected. Specifically, Facebook's privacy policy describes certain information as "data with special protections". This data is protected by EU legislation. This includes, for example, your political affiliation, religious behavior and wellness. If you choose to share this data on Facebook, information technology's automatically protected past the GDPR. Information well-nigh "race or ethnic origin, philosophical beliefs or trade union membership" is also included.
This sensitive information needs to be treated with respect. However, this doesn't apply to all Facebook users. If you don't live in the European Spousal relationship, the GDPR doesn't utilise to yous. This is the example for many citizens of the United States, for case. If you lot live in the U.s. and your local privacy laws aren't strict plenty, Facebook may use your sensitive data for marketing purposes.
In such a instance, knowing your political preferences helps Facebook determine which advertisements would exist more than effective. Even ads for the aforementioned production may be tailored to appeal to multiple groups. Political ads are tailored to attain specific goals. If you aren't protected by your local privacy laws, Facebook is gratis to utilise any information it gathers most you, against you lot.
Fifty-fifty within the European union you aren't completely protected confronting data collection. There are already numerous suspicions that Facebook doesn't attach to the GDPR. Moreover, several privacy organizations take indicated that Facebook has violated the privacy of its users. Therefore, nosotros tin't guarantee that Facebook won't use your data confronting you, fifty-fifty if you are protected by the GDPR.
Facebook Knows Everything Well-nigh Your Life
There are an awful lot of places on the internet where Facebook has some degree of power. Therefore, it's best to presume that Facebook knows about almost everything you do online. Facebook follows every postal service you like. It analyzes every video you lot watch and knows how long you spent watching it. Every friend request and every clicked advertizement feeds Facebook'due south huge information collection.
By combining all the channels Facebook has at its disposal, the company can create a detailed contour of most of us. Subsequently, Facebook has hundreds of categories for advertisers to choose from, allowing them to refine their targeting information.
Large Data collection
Facebook as well collects data about larger groups of users, which is called "big data". This is less detailed data, which doesn't necessarily refer to one person, merely says something about full general trends among larger groups of users, in this instance the many millions of people on Facebook. The company tin sell this information to companies that utilize it for analysis and research purposes. Possible buyers are private businesses and service providers as well equally academics and groups conducting scientific research. In addition, Facebook sometimes provides information to law enforcement agencies, for example in response to a legal request.
How to View Your Facebook Data
According to the Full general Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have the right to access your personal information. Facebook must comply with these European privacy laws besides. Therefore, whatever user is able to download a file with a re-create of all the data Facebook has collected about them since their registration.
Would you lot like to run into the data Facebook has collected about you? Y'all tin can easily see an overview by following these steps:
- Go to your settings by clicking the arrow at the superlative right of the screen, and then click "Settings and privacy" and choose "Settings".
- In the bill of fare on the left click "Your Facebook Information". You lot should now exist able to see the screen below.
- Click on "Access Your Information". You lot'll meet a list of all kinds of content that Facebook has stored near you. Yous can view this info per category.
- Click on a category you wish to view. Near categories have subsections you tin choose from. Click 1 of these sections, and you volition exist redirected to an overview with that specific information.
If you've had your Facebook account for a while and want to see all the information yous've collected, yous'll be stuck on these pages for a long time. Everything from your deleted friends to your interests and your consummate conversation history can be accessed.
How to Download a Copy of Your Facebook Information
Instead of but viewing your data, you lot tin also download a copy of your Facebook information. This tin exist useful if you want to take all your information available offline, for example. It's as well the perfect solution if you wish to delete your Facebook business relationship, but want to hold on to particular data shared on the platform, such as pictures.
To download a copy of your data, follow these steps:
- Go to your settings and click "Your Facebook Information".
- Click on "Download Your Information". You'll see the following screen.
- Choose the date range of the data you wish to receive: practice yous want to download all information from the moment you became a member, or only from the final couple of months?
- Choose your desired file format. If you only want to view your data, choose HTML. Would you like to consign your data to another service? Then cull JSON.
- Choose the desired media quality (loftier, medium or low). If you're planning on leaving Facebook and want to take your media files with you, cull "High".
- Click on "Create File". The file will be candy. How long this takes, depends on the amount of information nerveless and the quality you have chosen. You'll get a notification one time you tin can download your data file.
- Follow the notification and re-enter your password.
- Download the (zip) file. Keep in heed that this file can be quite large.
You at present take a file with all your desired Facebook data, which you lot tin can view whenever yous want. Moreover, all this information, including messages, media and interactions, will remain in your possession, even if you delete your Facebook profile.
Protecting Your Data and Privacy on Facebook
Now that you've viewed or downloaded your information, y'all're probably wondering how to proceed. How can you protect your data and privacy on Facebook? It might not seem similar it, but it is possible. Here are some tips.
Secure your Facebook account
Before you lot start worrying about what Facebook can exercise with your data, it's important to brand sure your Facebook business relationship can't be used by strangers. Cybercriminals would be all too happy to gain access to all your data – and hacking your account will exist a cakewalk if y'all don't secure your account properly.
There are some uncomplicated things y'all can do to secure your account:
- Use a stiff, unique password. Don't share this password with anyone, and so you can be sure that you're the only one who has access to your account.
- Enable two-factor authentication. This ways calculation an actress step to your login procedure in unusual circumstances, for example when y'all're using a different browser or device than usual. Via a text bulletin on your phone or a login code on an authentication app (such equally Google Authenticator) you'll and so be able to bespeak that you actually are the i trying to log in. To enable this selection, go to "Security and Login" in your settings and click "Use two-factor authentication". Link your phone number or hallmark app to Facebook to actuate two-gene hallmark.
- Check the devices on which your business relationship is logged in. Facebook knows which devices you unremarkably use to log in. You can see a list of all these devices and login attempts by going to your settings and clicking "Security and Login". Critically look at the department called "Where You're Logged In" and log out on all devices you don't (or no longer) employ.
- Turn on your notifications. If someone logs into your account from an unusual device or location, Facebook tin notify y'all via Notifications, Messenger, email or text bulletin. You can enable this feature under "Setting Upwardly Actress Security" by checking the appropriate options under "Get alerts virtually unrecognized logins".
Manage your privacy settings
In one case you're sure your Facebook business relationship is safety from external attacks, you lot turn to your business relationship'south content. Facebook offers a lot of privacy settings you can hands adjust yourself. All of these settings can be found when you are logged into the platform and visit the "Settings" section.
It's really worth going through these options and making certain everything is to your liking. This way you can be sure that Facebook – and other Facebook users – tin merely encounter the information you give them voluntarily. Here are some settings you lot might want to pay extra attention to:
- Your Activity: determine who tin see your Facebook messages, shared posts, and other activeness (merely you, your friends, or everyone).
- How People Find and Contact You: decide whether search engines show your Facebook profile in their results and who tin can find you based on your e-mail accost or telephone number.
- Face up Recognition: determine whether Facebook is immune apply face recognition to recognize y'all in photos and videos.
- Location: enable or disable your location history. This only works on mobile devices.
- Apps and Websites: Bank check the different apps and websites that have access to your Facebook data (e.m. Spotify) and log out of these platforms if necessary.
- Ads: determine which information advertisers are allowed to use to brandish personalized ads.
In addition to these points, Facebook has many other settings that can help you manage your privacy. We recommend that you think carefully nearly the consequences of sharing the information included in each option. It's frequently best to share as little about yourself as possible, so it can't exist used against yous.
Would you like more information and instructions on how to protect your privacy on Facebook? You tin read our ultimate Facebook privacy guide hither.
Emergency solution: delete your Facebook account
Of grade, in that location is a more drastic measure to protect your privacy on Facebook: you tin can always delete your account. Without a Facebook account, it becomes a lot harder for the company to follow you. Practise you wish to delete your Facebook business relationship? Then follow these steps:
- Go to your settings and click the pick "Your Facebook Information".
- If you wish to save your Facebook data, don't forget to click "Download Your Information" and follow the steps to a higher place to download an overview of all your deportment, media (including photos and videos) and posts on Facebook.
- Choose "Deactivation and Deletion".
- Choose "Permanently Delete Account" so "Proceed to Account Deletion".
In improver to permanently deleting your account, you can also cull to deactivate your account. This means you'll disappear from the website for other Facebook users, but you can reactivate your account in the time to come. Keep in mind that all your information will yet be stored and remain in the easily of Facebook.
Deleting your Facebook account besides ways you lot'll no longer be able to login to other platforms with this business relationship. Is your Spotify or Tinder account linked to Facebook? Proceed this in listen! Your accounts on these platforms might get unavailable without your Facebook account.
If you delete your Facebook account, this means the "content you accept posted, such as your photos and condition updates" will exist deleted. This can take upward to 30 days. Afterward a month yous won't exist able to recover your account. It can take upwardly to well-nigh ninety days for all of your data to be deleted, although in that time it will no longer be visible to other Facebook users. Even after this period, Facebook indicates that there may notwithstanding be copies of your data in their backup storage. In other words, deleting your Facebook account doesn't guarantee that all of your information will be deleted completely from Facebook's servers.
Last Thoughts
Alongside Google, Facebook is one of the largest individual data collectors in the world. Every tidbit of information yous provide to Facebook is stored and used to build a profile on you. These profiles after help Facebook sell personalized ads. Whether it's data about your interests, your job, your financial data or your location – Facebook uses information technology all.
If yous want to be mindful of your privacy, it'southward important to be enlightened of Facebook's far-reaching power. Think carefully well-nigh the things you lot want to share with the platform and make sure yous always stay safe online. Tired of Facebook knowing then much virtually yous? Then yous can always choose to delete your entire account. However, fifty-fifty so at that place is no guarantee that all your information will be deleted. In brusque, staying completely anonymous on Facebook is a near impossible task.
It's not just Facebook that collects your data. LinkedIn does too. Here's how you can delete your LinkedIn account completely.
What Does Facebook Know About Me? - FAQ
Do you lot accept a question nearly Facebook and their data collection? Take a look at our oftentimes asked questions below to detect a quick answer! Is your question non listed? Get out a comment nether this commodity and we'll help y'all out as presently as possible.
What information does Facebook collect about me?
Facebook collects a lot of data near you lot. This goes further than y'all might remember. For example, Facebook probably knows everything about: Desire to know more? We'll tell you lot exactly what Facebook knows about you in this article.
What does Facebook practice with my information?
Facebook uses all data it collects virtually its users to create comprehensive and detailed user profiles. These profiles tin and then exist used to create personalized ads or for assay to improve the platform. Facebook also knows how to make a profit: they get money from companies that are all also eager to bear witness you these personalized ads.
How do I delete my Facebook data?
You can delete individual Facebook data by plowing through and adjusting your settings on the platform. Any data you lot want to delete, can be deleted from in that location. If you want to delete your entire Facebook account, simply follow these steps:
How do I download my Facebook data?
If you want to download a copy of all your Facebook information, for example out of marvel or because you lot want to delete your account without losing all your photos, follow these steps:
Source: https://vpnoverview.com/privacy/social-media/what-does-facebook-know-about-me/
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