How to Tell What Facebook Know About You

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Summary: What Does Facebook Know Almost Me?

Facebook collects an incredible corporeality of data nearly its users. This goes across the information you lot postal service on your profile: it too tracks your location, payments, interests and device information.

With all this data, Facebook can create a detailed profile of who you are and what yous do. They can then use this to display personalized ads to users.

If you're curious near what information Facebook has gathered from your account, follow these steps:

1. Log in to Facebook and go to your settings.
2. Click on "Your Facebook Information" so "Access Your Information".
3. Click on the category y'all wish to view: here yous'll see a list of all information Facebook has collected near you lot within this category.

Want to know exactly what information Facebook collects about you and what you lot can do well-nigh it? Read our full commodity below to notice out.

Facebook is a huge social network that has over 2.6 billion users. Of all those people, 1.73 billion tin be found using the platform every day. In curt, it is one of the largest social networks ever. Facebook's influence spreads across the entire earth – and because of that Facebook has been able to collect data about a lot of net users.

Privacy experts have long been concerned nearly how Facebook collects and uses information. On the one hand, they collect data that users willingly and knowingly provide to the visitor. On the other hand, however, there is plenty of information collected without users being aware of information technology. In fact, Facebook might but know more nearly yous than your closest friends practise.

Many privacy watchdogs have called out Facebook over the years. The social media company has fifty-fifty gotten several large fines for invading the privacy their users. The nigh famous example is the Cambridge Analytica scandal that toll Facebook and its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, dearly. Regardless, countless people notwithstanding provide Facebook with valuable information, which is then used for marketing purposes.

You might be wondering what kind of information this is. What does Facebook know about us? And how can nosotros protect our data and privacy?

How Much Does Facebook Know About Y'all?

Facebook is a social media platform. It was gear up up to let users to share information almost their lives with friends in their network. Therefore, information technology isn't surprising that Facebook knows everything you've called to share on your page. Simply the information collection doesn't stop there. Facebook knows more than about you than you might think.

Facebook closely tracks and collects information about your:

• Facebook profile
• Actions on the platform
• Browsing data
• Device information
• Political preferences
• Location
• Finances
• And much more

In fact, Facebook knows pretty much everything you've ever done on their social network. Moreover, information technology even knows what y'all've been doing online across their website. Below, we'll discuss how Facebook gets this information and what they do with it.

Facebook Knows What Yous're Doing

First of all, Facebook knows exactly what y'all're doing on their platform. You log in to your ain unique account and create your ain content. It'due south very likely that you used your own name, email accost, date of nascency, and possibly your telephone number to create this account. Facebook tin can come across all of this information. On top of that, it tin see your publicly shared messages, status updates, comments, and likes. If your child uses Facebook Messenger Kids, Facebook will get together data most that, too.

Just by using their service, you voluntarily offer Facebook even more information. The company keeps track of when and to whom you send conversation messages. Facebook as well knows who you've befriended and who you receive friendship requests from, besides as to whom you send them yourself. Facebook even tracks the metadata attached to any files yous upload. This could allow them to observe out your location, for instance. Nosotros will discuss this in more than particular later on.

Facebook's privacy statement proves that the visitor isn't very privacy conscious when it comes to the treatment of all this information: "Our systems automatically process content and communications from you and others in guild to clarify the context and detect out what they are nigh." In other words, naught you do on Facebook is private.

Collecting technical details

The achieve of Facebook goes even further. In add-on to the metadata Facebook collects, the company keeps rail of even more technical data. This way, Facebook knows all kinds of details about the devices you employ. These include the brand, your operating organisation, the apps yous've installed on your phone, device IDs, Wi-Fi access point signals, accessible Bluetooth and prison cell tower signals, and stored cookies.

Some of your phone's default settings are also shared with Facebook, including data almost your language, fourth dimension zone, IP address, internet speed, and other devices connected to the same network. This way, the visitor probably knows who your roommates are just because yous all utilize Facebook every bit well as the same network.

Facebook takes another step deeper into data collection. Even your device's deportment are traced. Every mouse move is registered, partly in society to distinguish real users from bots, but besides to see how much time y'all spend looking at a certain post or advertisement. All actions y'all perform using Facebook's products are stored and, where possible, used to brand a profit.

Your finances and transactions

In that location are times when Facebook users share their financial data with the social media platform. This happens when they use Facebook for transactions, such equally a donation or a game buy. An awful lot of information nigh these transactions is stored: your payment details (including your account number and other carte details), account and verification details, every bit well as billing and shipping information, including your contact details.

Likewise the fact that this is all very sensitive data, Facebook can likewise depict many conclusions about you with this information. Facebook might categorize you based on the number of credit cards you own, for case. The company also knows how to combine this fiscal information with other data. They could apply it to conclude that you are engaged and therefore more likely to click on nuptials advertisements.

Friends and partners of Facebook

The data Facebook receives nigh you doesn't just come from your actions and posts. Others might besides reveal crucial data about y'all in their ain content and posts. This applies when a friend posts pictures of you online (particularly when facial recognition is used), but also when they send you instant messages or upload their contact information to Facebook. All of these contacts will then be available to and saved past Facebook.

Partners of Facebook can also share information nigh you with the network – and this is done on a large scale. Any company that collaborates with Facebook can provide data to the social media platform to exist added to their database. This way Facebook knows exactly how yous interact with other websites and gets more insight into your online behavior and activities. With all this information, Facebook's contour of yous will quickly become increasingly attractive to advertisers. And the more detailed your contour, the more profitable you'll be for the visitor.

You may be wondering whether that network of Facebook partners is really that large. The answer is yeah. Every website and service where y'all can log in with Facebook (such every bit Spotify), every page with a Facebook pixel (like most news websites) – all of these platforms pass on data to Facebook. Due to this dense network, at that place is very little that Facebook doesn't know well-nigh us.

Facebook Knows Where You Are

Nearly 80 pct of Facebook users visit the platform exclusively from their smartphone. If we add together the users who, too using Facebook on their phones, besides use it on their desktop, we're even closer to 100%. This makes sense: many people will likely cheque Facebook on the become.

Most people don't realize that installing the Facebook app on their phone also ways that Facebook could constantly know where y'all are. Facebook uses your phone's location to keep track of where you are at whatsoever given fourth dimension.

How does Facebook know your location?

Facebook gets all kinds of detailed location information from a variety of sources. First of all, your GPS can accurately signal where you lot are. Fifty-fifty when your GPS is turned off, even so, Facebook can still observe out where y'all are. Using Wi-Fi points, Bluetooth signals and masts in your area, the visitor tin get an authentic idea of your location. Of grade, your IP address might also play a function in this, although usually this isn't fifty-fifty necessary.

It gets fifty-fifty more serious: Facebook can fifty-fifty determine your location based on images gathered from your smartphone photographic camera and any media you've created. If you post a photograph with the Eiffel Belfry on Facebook, no i will wonder where y'all are in that moment, only fifty-fifty with lesser known sights Facebook will soon find out where you are. This isn't speculation, either: Facebook's privacy policy states that they may and tin clarify and use all of this information.

Your location history is used for marketing

You can view your location history online when y'all've got the Facebook app for smartphone. As long equally you're logged in, your business relationship will show exactly where you've been. These detailed logs are incredibly useful for Facebook.

Afterward using the app for but a brusk amount of time, the company will know where y'all live, work, play sports, and party. Your location might reveal where your children go to schoolhouse, allowing Facebook to then estimate their ages. Facebook volition know your favorite stores, every bit well as how much fourth dimension yous spend in them on average. With all of this data, the company will even be able to make up one's mind the day when y'all're well-nigh probable to go shopping.

Facebook can use location data to set up up ads more effectively. If your location suggests y'all're looking for a motorcar dealer, Facebook volition pass on this information. Advertisers will and so receive a warning saying that now might be a practiced fourth dimension to put some car ads on your timeline. The same goes for other situations: a couple of visits to a gynecologist tin can already consequence in an increase of the corporeality of advertisements for baby products on your timeline.

The possibilities – and risks – are endless. Meanwhile, many Facebook users deliberately remove their location from their profile without knowing their every step is being traced anyway. You may be able to easily hide your personal information from other users, but not from Facebook and its partners.

Due to local laws, Facebook'due south data gathering strategy works slightly unlike in some regions and countries compared to others. In the European Spousal relationship, for example, the GDPR ensures that some information is automatically protected. Specifically, Facebook'due south privacy policy describes certain data as "information with special protections". This data is protected by Eu legislation. This includes, for example, your political affiliation, religious beliefs and wellness. If you choose to share this information on Facebook, it'southward automatically protected by the GDPR. Information nigh "race or ethnic origin, philosophical beliefs or trade matrimony membership" is also included.

This sensitive information needs to be treated with respect. Notwithstanding, this doesn't apply to all Facebook users. If you lot don't live in the European Spousal relationship, the GDPR doesn't apply to you. This is the example for many citizens of the United states, for example. If you live in the Usa and your local privacy laws aren't strict plenty, Facebook may use your sensitive data for marketing purposes.

In such a case, knowing your political preferences helps Facebook determine which advertisements would be more effective. Even ads for the same product may be tailored to entreatment to multiple groups. Political ads are tailored to achieve specific goals. If you aren't protected past your local privacy laws, Facebook is free to use whatsoever information it gathers about yous, confronting y'all.

Even within the European Marriage yous aren't completely protected against data collection. There are already numerous suspicions that Facebook doesn't attach to the GDPR. Moreover, several privacy organizations have indicated that Facebook has violated the privacy of its users. Therefore, we can't guarantee that Facebook won't use your data against you, even if y'all are protected by the GDPR.

Facebook Knows Everything About Your Life

There are an atrocious lot of places on the internet where Facebook has some caste of ability. Therefore, it's best to presume that Facebook knows virtually virtually everything you practise online. Facebook follows every post you like. It analyzes every video you picket and knows how long you lot spent watching it. Every friend request and every clicked ad feeds Facebook'southward huge data drove.

By combining all the channels Facebook has at its disposal, the company tin can create a detailed profile of nearly of united states. Later on, Facebook has hundreds of categories for advertisers to cull from, allowing them to refine their targeting information.

Big Data drove

Facebook also collects information about larger groups of users, which is chosen "big data". This is less detailed data, which doesn't necessarily refer to one person, but says something virtually general trends amid larger groups of users, in this case the many millions of people on Facebook. The visitor can sell this information to companies that use it for analysis and research purposes. Possible buyers are private businesses and service providers besides equally academics and groups conducting scientific inquiry. In improver, Facebook sometimes provides information to law enforcement agencies, for example in response to a legal request.

How to View Your Facebook Information

Co-ordinate to the Full general Information Protection Regulation (GDPR), you take the right to admission your personal data. Facebook must comply with these European privacy laws also. Therefore, any user is able to download a file with a re-create of all the information Facebook has collected about them since their registration.

Would you like to see the data Facebook has collected nigh you lot? You tin easily see an overview by following these steps:

1. Go to your settings by clicking the arrow at the top right of the screen, then click "Settings and privacy" and choose "Settings".
2. In the menu on the left click "Your Facebook Information". Y'all should now be able to come across the screen below.
   
3. Click on "Access Your Information". Yous'll see a list of all kinds of content that Facebook has stored about you. You tin view this info per category.
4. Click on a category you wish to view. Most categories take subsections you lot can cull from. Click i of these sections, and you volition exist redirected to an overview with that specific information.

If you've had your Facebook business relationship for a while and want to see all the information you've collected, you'll be stuck on these pages for a long fourth dimension. Everything from your deleted friends to your interests and your complete chat history can be accessed.

How to Download a Copy of Your Facebook Data

Instead of simply viewing your information, you can also download a copy of your Facebook information. This tin can be useful if you want to have all your information available offline, for example. Information technology'due south as well the perfect solution if y'all wish to delete your Facebook account, but want to concur on to particular data shared on the platform, such every bit pictures.

To download a copy of your data, follow these steps:

1. Go to your settings and click "Your Facebook Information".
2. Click on "Download Your Information". You lot'll see the following screen.
   
3. Choose the date range of the data you wish to receive: practise you lot want to download all data from the moment you became a member, or simply from the terminal couple of months?
4. Cull your desired file format. If you lot only desire to view your data, choose HTML. Would yous similar to consign your data to another service? Then cull JSON.
5. Cull the desired media quality (high, medium or low). If you're planning on leaving Facebook and desire to accept your media files with you, choose "High".
6. Click on "Create File". The file will be processed. How long this takes, depends on the amount of information collected and the quality yous have chosen. You'll get a notification once you tin download your information file.
7. Follow the notification and re-enter your countersign.
8. Download the (zip) file. Continue in heed that this file tin can exist quite big.

You now accept a file with all your desired Facebook information, which you can view whenever you want. Moreover, all this data, including messages, media and interactions, will remain in your possession, even if you delete your Facebook profile.

Protecting Your Information and Privacy on Facebook

Now that you've viewed or downloaded your data, you lot're probably wondering how to proceed. How tin you protect your data and privacy on Facebook? It might non seem like it, but information technology is possible. Here are some tips.

Secure your Facebook account

Earlier y'all get-go worrying about what Facebook tin exercise with your information, it's important to make sure your Facebook account tin't be used by strangers. Cybercriminals would be all too happy to gain access to all your data – and hacking your account volition be a breeze if you lot don't secure your account properly.

There are some uncomplicated things yous can practise to secure your account:

• Utilise a stiff, unique password. Don't share this countersign with anyone, so yous can be sure that y'all're the just 1 who has admission to your business relationship.
• Enable two-factor authentication. This means calculation an extra step to your login process in unusual circumstances, for example when you're using a different browser or device than usual. Via a text message on your telephone or a login code on an authentication app (such as Google Authenticator) you'll so be able to signal that you really are the one trying to log in. To enable this option, get to "Security and Login" in your settings and click "Use two-factor authentication". Link your telephone number or hallmark app to Facebook to actuate two-gene authentication.
• Cheque the devices on which your account is logged in. Facebook knows which devices you normally use to log in. You can see a listing of all these devices and login attempts by going to your settings and clicking "Security and Login". Critically look at the section called "Where Y'all're Logged In" and log out on all devices you don't (or no longer) use.
• Turn on your notifications. If someone logs into your business relationship from an unusual device or location, Facebook can notify you via Notifications, Messenger, email or text message. Y'all can enable this feature under "Setting Upwardly Extra Security" by checking the appropriate options nether "Go alerts almost unrecognized logins".

Manage your privacy settings

Once you're sure your Facebook account is safe from external attacks, yous plow to your account's content. Facebook offers a lot of privacy settings y'all tin can easily adjust yourself. All of these settings can be constitute when yous are logged into the platform and visit the "Settings" department.

It's really worth going through these options and making sure everything is to your liking. This way you tin can exist certain that Facebook – and other Facebook users – tin can merely see the data you give them voluntarily. Here are some settings you might desire to pay extra attention to:

• Your Activity: determine who can come across your Facebook letters, shared posts, and other activity (simply you, your friends, or everyone).
• How People Observe and Contact You: decide whether search engines show your Facebook profile in their results and who can find you based on your email address or phone number.
• Face Recognition: decide whether Facebook is allowed use face recognition to recognize yous in photos and videos.
• Location: enable or disable your location history. This merely works on mobile devices.
• Apps and Websites: Check the different apps and websites that have access to your Facebook data (east.thou. Spotify) and log out of these platforms if necessary.
• Ads: determine which information advertisers are allowed to use to display personalized ads.

In addition to these points, Facebook has many other settings that can help you manage your privacy. We recommend that you think advisedly about the consequences of sharing the data included in each option. Information technology'southward frequently best to share as little about yourself as possible, and so it tin can't be used against yous.

Would you like more information and instructions on how to protect your privacy on Facebook? Y'all tin read our ultimate Facebook privacy guide here.

Emergency solution: delete your Facebook business relationship

Of form, there is a more than drastic measure to protect your privacy on Facebook: you can always delete your business relationship. Without a Facebook account, information technology becomes a lot harder for the company to follow you. Exercise you lot wish to delete your Facebook account? And then follow these steps:

1. Become to your settings and click the option "Your Facebook Data".
2. If you wish to save your Facebook information, don't forget to click "Download Your Information" and follow the steps in a higher place to download an overview of all your actions, media (including photos and videos) and posts on Facebook.
3. Choose "Deactivation and Deletion".
4. Choose "Permanently Delete Account" and and so "Continue to Business relationship Deletion".

In addition to permanently deleting your account, you can also choose to conciliate your business relationship. This means you'll disappear from the website for other Facebook users, but y'all can reactivate your account in the future. Keep in mind that all your information will however be stored and remain in the hands of Facebook.

Deleting your Facebook account also means you'll no longer be able to login to other platforms with this business relationship. Is your Spotify or Tinder account linked to Facebook? Proceed this in mind! Your accounts on these platforms might get unavailable without your Facebook account.

If you delete your Facebook business relationship, this means the "content you have posted, such as your photos and status updates" will be deleted. This tin take up to thirty days. Afterwards a month you won't be able to recover your account. Information technology tin have up to almost 90 days for all of your data to exist deleted, although in that time it will no longer be visible to other Facebook users. Even after this catamenia, Facebook indicates that there may nevertheless be copies of your data in their backup storage. In other words, deleting your Facebook account doesn't guarantee that all of your information volition be deleted completely from Facebook's servers.

Terminal Thoughts

Aslope Google, Facebook is one of the largest private data collectors in the world. Every tidbit of data you lot provide to Facebook is stored and used to build a profile on you. These profiles subsequently assistance Facebook sell personalized ads. Whether information technology'due south information about your interests, your job, your financial information or your location – Facebook uses it all.

If you desire to be mindful of your privacy, it's of import to exist aware of Facebook'south far-reaching power. Think carefully about the things y'all want to share with the platform and make sure you always stay condom online. Tired of Facebook knowing then much about you? Then you tin e'er choose to delete your entire account. Even so, even then there is no guarantee that all your data will be deleted. In short, staying completely anonymous on Facebook is a near incommunicable job.

It's not just Facebook that collects your data. LinkedIn does too. Here'southward how yous tin can delete your LinkedIn business relationship completely.

What Does Facebook Know About Me? - FAQ

Do y'all accept a question about Facebook and their data drove? Have a wait at our oft asked questions below to find a quick answer! Is your question not listed? Leave a comment under this commodity and we'll help you out as shortly as possible.

What data does Facebook collect about me?

Facebook collects a lot of data about you. This goes further than you might call back. For example, Facebook probably knows everything about:

• The messages, reactions, and photos you and your friends post
• Your location
• Your behavior on their platform and other websites
• Your device and browse data
• Your political preferences

Want to know more? We'll tell you lot exactly what Facebook knows almost you in this article.

What does Facebook do with my data?

Facebook uses all data it collects nigh its users to create comprehensive and detailed user profiles. These profiles can then be used to create personalized ads or for analysis to improve the platform. Facebook likewise knows how to brand a profit: they go money from companies that are all as well eager to bear witness you these personalized ads.

How exercise I delete my Facebook information?

You tin delete individual Facebook data past plowing through and adjusting your settings on the platform. Whatever information yous desire to delete, can be deleted from there. If yous desire to delete your entire Facebook business relationship, simply follow these steps:

1. On Facebook, become to "Settings".
2. Go to "Your Facebook Information".
3. Click on "Deactivation and Deletion".
4. Choose "Permanently Delete Account" and and so "Continue" if you're sure you want to delete your entire Facebook account.

How practise I download my Facebook data?

If yous want to download a re-create of all your Facebook data, for example out of curiosity or considering you want to delete your business relationship without losing all your photos, follow these steps:

1. On Facebook, become to "Settings".
2. Become to "Your Facebook Information".
3. Click "Download Your Information".
4. Cull the fourth dimension menstruation you want to receive a re-create of and click "Create File".
5. You will get a notification as soon as your file is ready. Re-enter your password to download the zip file.

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