Did you know Meta just made one of its chatbots public? Here’s why it’s a humiliating failure, in 60 seconds.
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Facebook watches your every move - Here's the proof
It shouldn’t surprise you that social media networks know a lot about you. After all, giants like Facebook know where you go, which TV shows and films you enjoy and who your friends are. That’s because you willingly gave up that information.
But there are other pieces of data that Facebook gathers behind your back. Generally, you have the option to turn it off, but social media platforms rarely tell you about it. Why? Well, it helps them pinpoint your location or interests to serve you with targeted advertising.
Keep reading to find out how much information Facebook has on you and ways to get some privacy back.
Here’s the backstory
Targeted advertising happens when Big Tech companies have data sets on your habits. That’s why you’ll see ads for that new car you searched for online or posted about on Facebook.
But that can also happen through your location. For example, if you are near a beach, there is a good chance that you’ll see ads for ice cream or swimwear.
Facebook knows where you are all the time, but even scarier is that it stores the data on your profile. All of this helps with building your targeted advertising profile. The ads will slowly shift to fit in if it senses a habit or routine.
What you can do about it
Luckily, there is something that you can do about it. Your location history isn’t kept in a guarded vault but is easily accessible on your profile. Here’s how to do that on a desktop computer:
- Click on the arrow pointing down in the top-right corner.
- Click Settings & Privacy, and then Settings.
- On the left panel, select Your Facebook information. Then click Access your information.
- In the left panel, click on Logged information and then Location history. NOTE: You might be asked to enter your password to access Location history.
This process will bring up a screen of all the places Facebook tracked your location. You can turn off the setting to deny Facebook access to your GPS location, which will stop the tracking.
But there is more good news. When you click on location settings to manage your data, you’ll see a screen that Facebook quietly updated in May 2022.
Have kids in the family? New way to see who they're talking to and what they're looking at
Social media has come under fire for its invasive privacy practices. Among the biggest culprits is Meta, the parent company for Facebook and Instagram.
Facebook recently rolled out new privacy settings to keep you informed of how you’re being tracked while also giving you options to limit tracking. Some of those settings have been making their way to Instagram. Tap or click here to rein in Instagram’s hold on your data.
Free money? Yes please - Class-action lawsuits paying out right now
There are thousands of class-action lawsuits every year. While they don’t amount to much for those affected, you could still walk away with a little payday. Companies rarely notify you that they’re being sued. You have to seek these lawsuits out, and we’re here to tell you how.
In the wake of the Texas school shooting, social media must do better
The tragic mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas highlights an issue we’ve come across before and it doesn’t seem to go away: Social media is shirking its responsibility in mass shootings and other tragedies. Social media has to make changes, and you and I can force them to do it.
How to see all the data the world's most popular messaging app has on you
Most social apps have some direct messaging system built-in. Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat are a few examples. Facebook replaced its chat function with Messenger in 2011, which is now a standalone app.
Until a few years ago, you could create a Messenger account without ever having a Facebook account. That’s not the case anymore, but you can create a Facebook account with Messenger and then deactivate Facebook. Tap or click here to learn more.
Online forms are grabbing your data - even if you don’t hit enter
An effective way to get someone’s opinion on a product or service is to create an online form or survey. Other times, online forms are the preferred way to sign up for newsletters, register an account or buy tickets. Tap or click here for a list of apps that collect the most private data from you.
Need to talk to a real person? 10 hard-to-find tech support phone numbers
Not all companies make it easy to find support phone numbers on their sites. They want you to fill out a form or use the chat function, but sometimes you might really need to speak to someone.
Want to contact one of the biggest retailers on the planet by phone? Amazon doesn’t openly advertise its phone number and prefers you go through other forms such as a chat window in your Amazon account. Do you still want to make that phone call? Tap or click here for more.
How to change privacy settings on Instagram
Whether they are watching your activity and using it for their means or selling it to third parties, Big Tech is under the privacy microscope. In response, developers have added privacy settings to apps and devices. This primarily serves to better inform you of how you’re being tracked in some cases. In other situations, you have greater control of how you’re tracked.
If you see these 4 words on Facebook Messenger, don't click
Meta’s Facebook is undoubtedly the largest social media platform globally, and its Messenger is used by more than 900 million people a month. That is an awful lot of messages, but unfortunately, not all of them are friendly conversations. Tap or click here to use Messenger without a Facebook account.
Facebook is BANNING people who missed an email notice - Did it happen to you?
Your credit card details are always in danger of being stolen by hackers and scammers. But while they can cause a lot of personal damage with it, your social media login information could be more valuable to them.
Of the most valuable online accounts to criminals, a hacked Facebook account can regularly sell on the Dark Web for around $65. An associated Instagram account can easily fetch upwards of $45. So, to protect users from getting hacked, Meta rolled out a function to some users called Facebook Protect.
Did you get a strange notification that you need to protect your Facebook account? It's (probably) real
Social media is a hotbed for scams, and you can never be too careful about pop-ups and advertising. You might have received an email telling you that your account is compromised and you need to verify your details.
The chances are good that it was part of an elaborate phishing scam, but users have noticed another pop-up on Facebook over the last few days. The alert claims that you must activate a new function on the social media platform or risk losing access.
Don't fall for these fake cryptocurrency ads all over Facebook
New cryptocurrencies are constantly popping up. While Bitcoin is the most well-known crypto, others like Ethereum and Shiba Inu have steadily grown in popularity.
Lucky Block is one of the newest and ties itself to the lottery industry. However, there aren’t too many cryptocurrencies that hedge their bets on social media. Well, that doesn’t seem to be the case if you believe some advertising on Facebook.
Facebook privacy settings: Most important security checks to do now
Between security and revelations surrounding Facebook’s tracking policies, it’s no secret that your privacy is at risk with the social network.
Facebook has revealed a tracking technology called pixel, which website developers can add to their site’s code to track Facebook users for ad targeting. Mozilla and the Markup teamed up to get a closer look at Facebook’s pixel tracking network. Tap or click here for our report and see how you can become part of the study.
Facebook's new Privacy Center shows you everything it collects - Here's how to use it
Social media platforms like Facebook are regularly under fire for not doing enough to protect users’ privacy. Many platforms claim they collect data to serve targeted ads and that your information isn’t at risk. Do you believe that?
What Facebook is REALLY doing with Meta
Last week we said goodbye to Facebook and hello to Meta, Facebook’s new name. Listen now to find out what this means for you here in the real world.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Goodbye, Facebook. The company's new name is Meta
Facebook is turning over a new leaf. After a slew of recent controversies, Mark Zuckerberg announced the company would rename itself. First, former employee Frances Haugen leaked internal documents that revealed Facebook knew about its negative impact on users.