Off-Facebook Activity: How to restrict Facebook from tracking you when you are not using it
Facebook has introduced the Off-Facebook Activity feature, allowing to have more control over your data. Here's all you need to know
Since the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica fiasco, we know the Mark Zuckerberg-owned company can’t be trusted. And that’s not because we are making a deal out of it but the various proofs we have received in the past two years. However, the near silver lining is that Facebook is trying to mend its ways (at least it shows that) and the recent Off-Facebook Activity feature seems to be an addition. Read on to know more.
Off-Facebook Activity: What is it?
To put things into perspective, the Off-Facebook Activity is a way to manage all your activities with third-party apps and websites, which Facebook knew of. All your connections with other apps and websites were always tracked by Facebook earlier, and this time, with the Off-Activity feature you can control it. Although, Facebook should have not been doing this in the first place.
The ability is now available for all Facebook users.
Facebook suggests that it can track our interactions with third-party apps and websites since they use Facebook’s business tools. This way, Facebook can also target relevant ads to us and make suggestions.
This, of course, is downright unethical since it gets to know of our activities even when we are not using the app. The Off-Facebook Activity feature seems to be a positive step to restrict Facebook from intruding our lives but we clearly need more to remain safe.
Off-Facebook Activity: How to use the new feature? (Android, iOS)
To finally start using the long-delayed Facebook feature (it was announced back in 2018), you are required to follow these simple steps:
- Head to the Facebook app on your Android or iOS smartphone
- Select the hamburger menu within the app. In Android, the menu is situated in the top right corner, and in iOS, it is present in the bottom right corner.
- Scroll down a bit to select on the Settings and Privacy option, and then select Settings
- Again, scroll down to reach the Your Facebook Information section and then tap on the Off-Facebook Activity option
- The Off-Facebook Activity section has three options to go about
- The first option is the Manage your off-Facebook activity, wherein you have to re-enter your password to manage.
- The second option is to Clear History so that none of your non-Facebook activities is known
- The More Options section has options such as Access your information, Download your information, Manage your future activity, and Help for more information
We hope the above-mentioned steps help you control your data better on/off Facebook.