Hyderabad: Facebook and other social media app now track our activities. To enhance their advertising strategy, the company recently introduced ‘Link History’ on Facebook. This feature will track the links users click within Facebook app for a personalised advertising experience, which helps the advertisers micro-target the users.
How to turn off tracking
The ‘Link History’ feature is set to ‘on’ by default in the Facebook app. It is presented as a convenience tool, which stores users’ browsing activity in one place. “When you turn link history off, it may take Meta up to 90 days to complete the deletion process,” Facebook help centre says.
While Facebook claims the feature will help users not lose links, it also admits that the information gathered may be used to personalise their ad experience across Meta platforms. “Bear in mind that when link history is on, we may use link history information from Facebook’s Mobile Browser to improve your ads across Meta technologies,” reads Facebook help centre.
The feature is active in India
The feature is not yet available everywhere in the world, but is being rolled out gradually. It is currently active in India. Facebook has 31.46 crore users from India, nearly twice more than its home country, the United States.
Facebook has always tracked the links users click, but this is the first time users have some level of visibility and control. This tracking extends to a built-in browser in the app, ‘Meta Browser,’ where Meta can monitor user interactions, including sensitive information like passwords.
The Link History feature only pertains to the record of clicked links, not the extensive tracking that occurs once a webpage is visited, says Facebook.
Meta apps have your data
“The tagline “It’s free and always will be,” which was on the Facebook homepage for years, has been changed to “Facebook helps you connect and share with the people in your life.” Now, Facebook is openly an advertising company and data collection isn’t limited to Facebook and Instagram apps by Meta.
The company also gathers data through the Meta Pixel on other websites and has meta trackers on browsers to collect information. While users have some control over data use through the “Off-Facebook Activity” setting, the options are limited and complex.
How to deactivate ‘Link History’
Log into Facebook, go to Settings & Privacy > Link History > Turn link history off > Don’t allow to confirm.
