Facebook really is watching your every move online.
If you use Facebook Messenger on an Android phone you might want to check your settings. The app tracks and sends your location to everyone you chat with -- by default. You can turn off location tracking and sharing by clicking the compass icon above the Like button in your chat threads. If the icon is blue, the feature is on. If you want to be safe, open the Settings tab within the Android app and disable location completely. Though the default is "off" on an iPhone, you can also disable location tracking in iOS by going into Settings>Privacy>Location>Services, and set the option to "Never."
The other problem, he adds, is the subtle placement of the feature within the app, making it easy for people to forget they're sharing where they are. Facebook already tracks your activity well beyond the confines of the main social network -- a fact that has helped land it in hot water in the European Union.
Whenever you linger on content in your News Feed -- that main section of the social network where you see things that your friends have posted -- Facebook pays attention, even if you're not "liking," commenting on or sharing anything.
In other words, when you spend time with content in your News Feed, Facebook will interpret that as a good thing -- even if you didn't click on anything.
Regardless, it does serves as a reminder: Facebook basically knows everything about everything you do on its platform.
Facebook trackers "a request that a webpage tries to make your browser perform that will share information intended to record, profile, or share your online activity." The trackers come in the shape of cookies, Javascript, 1-pixel beacons, and Iframes.
For example, cookies are tiny bits of software that web pages drop onto your device that identify you anonymously but nonetheless signal useful behavior about your background interests to advertisers who might want to target you. Facebook uses these types of cookies to activate the "like" buttons on other websites.
In addition to invading your privacy, these tracking requests can consume large amounts of data. And transferring lots of data takes time. Generally, the more tracking requests on a website, the slower that website loads. That's why DNT+ gets you surfing at 125% of the normal speed and with 90% of the bandwidth, compared to a browser without DNT+ running.
But it isn't just the website you are visiting that makes requests for information: online trackers from other companies hidden on the site do it, too. They act as third parties on your computer: you can't see them without privacy software, you probably wouldn't expect them to be present, and you probably don't intend to share your information with them.
They request information like your geographic location, which other sites you’ve visited, what you click, and your Facebook username.
In terms of what the "requests" represent, Facebook declined to comment because, in the company's opinion, the requests do not mean much unless you can see exactly what they are and how they are being used. Facebook's entire site is run off of JavaScript and other such tags that have an array of purposes other than tracking.
So, we set out to see just how much Facebook is watching our internet browsing activity. Using the Abine software, we tracked to what extent Facebook trackers increased for each new click. We started by cleaning out the browser cache and search history, and then went about using the browser like it was the start of a typical work day ...
Well, other than Facebook is everywhere, the Facebook trackers have fairly specific interests. According to our experiment, Facebook is most interested in these three things:
1. What you are reading on the web.
2. What you are linking to from social media sites.
3. What you are buying.
The other problem, he adds, is the subtle placement of the feature within the app, making it easy for people to forget they're sharing where they are. Facebook already tracks your activity well beyond the confines of the main social network -- a fact that has helped land it in hot water in the European Union.
Whenever you linger on content in your News Feed -- that main section of the social network where you see things that your friends have posted -- Facebook pays attention, even if you're not "liking," commenting on or sharing anything.
In other words, when you spend time with content in your News Feed, Facebook will interpret that as a good thing -- even if you didn't click on anything.
Regardless, it does serves as a reminder: Facebook basically knows everything about everything you do on its platform.
Facebook trackers "a request that a webpage tries to make your browser perform that will share information intended to record, profile, or share your online activity." The trackers come in the shape of cookies, Javascript, 1-pixel beacons, and Iframes.
For example, cookies are tiny bits of software that web pages drop onto your device that identify you anonymously but nonetheless signal useful behavior about your background interests to advertisers who might want to target you. Facebook uses these types of cookies to activate the "like" buttons on other websites.
In addition to invading your privacy, these tracking requests can consume large amounts of data. And transferring lots of data takes time. Generally, the more tracking requests on a website, the slower that website loads. That's why DNT+ gets you surfing at 125% of the normal speed and with 90% of the bandwidth, compared to a browser without DNT+ running.
They request information like your geographic location, which other sites you’ve visited, what you click, and your Facebook username.
In terms of what the "requests" represent, Facebook declined to comment because, in the company's opinion, the requests do not mean much unless you can see exactly what they are and how they are being used. Facebook's entire site is run off of JavaScript and other such tags that have an array of purposes other than tracking.
So, we set out to see just how much Facebook is watching our internet browsing activity. Using the Abine software, we tracked to what extent Facebook trackers increased for each new click. We started by cleaning out the browser cache and search history, and then went about using the browser like it was the start of a typical work day ...
Well, other than Facebook is everywhere, the Facebook trackers have fairly specific interests. According to our experiment, Facebook is most interested in these three things:
1. What you are reading on the web.
2. What you are linking to from social media sites.
3. What you are buying.
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