Facebook is an one of the most used social media platform, but protecting your personal data while using it is crucial. The platform’s complex privacy settings make it challenging to navigate, but with the right adjustments, you can enhance your account’s security and limit data exposure.
Clear Facebook Data Collected About Your Personal Data
Facebook doesn’t just track your activities on its own platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp)—it also gathers information from other websites and apps. This data fuels Facebook’s targeted advertising system.
To check what Facebook knows about you:
- Open the Facebook app and go to Menu > Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Tap Accounts Center > Your Information and Permissions > Your Activity Off Meta Technologies.
- Tap Clear Previous Activity to disconnect collected data from your account.
- To stop future tracking, select Manage Future Activity > Disconnect Future Activity.
Note: Turning off Future Activity will disable the Facebook Login tool, which lets you sign in to other websites using your Facebook credentials. Instead, you can disable tracking for specific apps and websites.
Read also : Planning a Trip to Germany ? InfoCons Consumer Protection Offers You Useful Information !
Keep Your Facebook Location Data Private
Facebook constantly tracks your location, using GPS, Wi-Fi, and other signals. While you can’t entirely stop Facebook from estimating your location, you can limit access to precise location data.
For iPhone users:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > Facebook.
- Choose While Using the App or Never.
For Android users:
- Open Settings > Location > App Permissions > Facebook.
- Choose Allow Only While Using the App or Deny.
This step ensures Facebook has less accurate location data, reducing its ability to serve location-based ads and recommendations.
Restrict Facebook’s Data Collection Through External Partners
Using Facebook Login for third-party apps can be convenient, but it allows those apps to access your Facebook data.
To disable Facebook Login for unused apps:
- Open the Facebook app and go to Menu > Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Under Your Activity, tap Apps and Websites > Login.
- Select the app you no longer need access to and tap Remove.
This action prevents those apps from continuously accessing your Facebook data.
Read also : What are the Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate ?
Enhance Account Security with Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
A strong password alone isn’t enough to keep your Facebook account secure. Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of protection by requiring a code in addition to your password.
To enable 2FA:
- Open the Facebook app and go to Menu > Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Tap Accounts Center > Password and Security > Two-factor Authentication.
- Follow the steps to enable 2FA using an authentication app like Google Authenticator or Duo Mobile.
Manage Facebook Profile Visibility to Protect Personal Data
By default, Facebook allows your profile to appear in Google Search and lets anyone send you a friend request. You can restrict this to enhance privacy.
To change these settings:
- Go to Menu > Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Under Audience and Visibility, tap How People Find and Contact You.
- Toggle off Do You Want Search Engines Outside of Facebook to Link to Your Profile?.
- Adjust who can send you friend requests (choose between Everyone or Friends of Friends).
Facebook allows users to limit who sees their posts, both future and past.
To adjust post visibility:
- Go to Menu > Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Tap Default Audience Settings > Select “Friends”.
- You can also review past posts by selecting Limit the Audience for Old Posts on Your Timeline.
These changes help prevent strangers or unwanted acquaintances from accessing your personal updates.
Read also : InfoCons Consumers Protection Informs You About Smartphone Safety : Easy Steps to Protect Your Data
Take Control Over Targeted Facebook Ads
Facebook uses collected data to personalize ads. While you can’t completely opt out, you can limit what information is used.
To adjust ad preferences:
- Open Menu > Settings & Privacy and tap Accounts Center > Ad Preferences.
- Tap Manage Info and go through each setting, selecting the most private options.
Additionally, you can reduce ads on sensitive topics such as gambling or weight loss:
- Go to Ad Preferences > Customize Ads.
- Scroll down to Ad Topics and select See Less for topics you want to avoid.
Stop Facebook from Tracking You on Other Websites
Even when you leave Facebook, Meta can track your online activities through Like and Share buttons, login tools, and invisible tracking pixels. While Facebook itself doesn’t offer an option to block this, you can use third-party tools:
- Install ad-blocking extensions like uBlock Origin, Privacy Badger, or Disconnect.
- Use Mozilla Firefox’s Facebook Container, which isolates Facebook activity from the rest of your browsing.
Decide Who Can Message You on Facebook
By default, messages from non-friends land in a “message requests” folder. You can further control this feature.
To manage message requests:
- Go to Menu > Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Tap Audience and Visibility > How People Find and Contact You > Message Requests.
- Adjust settings based on your preference (e.g., allowing only friends to message you directly).
Read also : 5 Key Insights About Electric Car Battery Degradation
Regularly Review Your Facebook Friends List
Not all Facebook friends are trustworthy. Some might tag you in unwanted posts, while others could fall victim to scams, putting your account at risk.
To streamline your friends list:
- Use the birthday method: Check daily birthday notifications and remove friends you no longer engage with.
- Visit your profile and manually unfriend people you don’t recognize or trust.
Protect Your Personal Data on Facebook
Facebook’s privacy settings can be overwhelming, but taking control is worth the effort. By following these steps, you can significantly reduce how much data Meta collects about you while maintaining a secure and private profile. Stay vigilant, regularly review your settings, and ensure that your personal information remains in your hands.
Source : Consumer Reports
InfoCons – European Organization for Consumer Protection and Promotion of Programs and Strategies , a full member of the World Organization Consumers International , founding member of the Federation of Consumer Associations , and member of ANEC .