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Over the years, Facebook has shown a poor history of managing your data. They have a reputation for covertly tracking and gathering details about their users, but, In an effort to win back lost trust, they recently launched a new tool to help users gain more control over your online presence.
The Off-Facebook Activity Option
In 2020, Facebook introduced the Off-Facebook Activity Option which allows you more control over all the personal data that apps and various websites share about you with the social media platform. The tool also helps you monitor the details that are accessible to third-party services by enabling you to view which websites are handing over your personal data to Facebook.
This is an important opportunity for you to take advantage of because Facebook is collecting ALL the data they can get their shifty little hands-on, from the articles you read and mobile apps you access, to which restaurants you visit, to which bank you access online, which in turn, makes you quite vulnerable to various virtual threats. As more and more people use their Facebook logins to access various websites including banking and finances, it makes it possible for sensitive data to be collected. This can mean trouble for you, either financially or personally if it were ever leaked or stolen. (FYI-No Platform can give data to Facebook without a user logging into that platform using his/her Facebook account).
How to use it
If you are uneasy with this type of tracking, especially since it occurs outside of using Facebook, you can view instructions to Manage Off-Facebook Activity. It can also be accessed directly by clicking on this link. The tracker gives you all the information that has been collected in the past 180 days.
Other ways you can manage your Facebook experience:
- Update your News Feed preferences to see more content on your News Feed that you are interested in.
- Customize your Ad Preferences to see ads that are more relevant to you. From here, you can update your ad settings to control things like if we show you ads based on your use of apps and websites off Facebook
- You can also hide an ad that isn’t interesting or useful to you or review why you’re seeing a particular ad.
- Walkthrough Privacy Checkup to make sure you are sharing your information with who you want.
- Visit Access Your Information to see and manage your Facebook information, or download your Facebook information for review.
Protecting your privacy
Protecting your privacy online can seem like a full-time job. It’s not always easy to control the information that others collect about you, but staying vigilant and making sure you follow the precautions that exist and follow up on all the newly released tools and options available to you can help! Here are a few more articles to help educate you on this journey:
- Passwords are your digital ‘Keys’
- Everyone’s role to play in proactive cybersecurity
- Cybersecurity tips for business travel.
- Are you safe in the cloud?
- ·What are two-step and two-factor authentication?
- Even small and mid-sized businesses need cybersecurity!
- What is juice jacking, and why is it dangerous?
- Ignore email from the boss!?
- Preventing Data Breaches Should be a Top Priority for CPA Firms (Your Payroll Accounts are at Risk!)
Our goal is to provide you and your team with secure and reliable access to your systems so that you can focus on your business.
Braver Technology Solutions | WeMakeITWork@BraverTechnology.com
Boston 617.315.8515 | Taunton 508.824.2260 | Providence 401.484.7900
