Off-Facebook Activity: What Else Does Facebook Know About You?

The idea that Facebook monitors your off-site activity may seem like a hoax, but the rumors are true. The social media platform does indeed collect off-Facebook activity data gathered by other organizations and uses that information for several stated purposes — and perhaps some unstated. If you value your online privacy, understanding the types of information Facebook harvests and configuring your account to minimize oversharing is important.

Sometimes changing a few settings isn’t enough. If you want to tighten your privacy, VeePN’s free Chrome extension provides social media tracker blocking to really put Facebook and other platforms in their place. On top of that, you’ll have access to a secure VPN service for safe and anonymous browsing.

What is Off-Facebook activity?

Off-Facebook activity is collected data relating to your browsing habits provided to the social media platform by third-party entities. Websites and apps use tools, such as Facebook Pixel and Login, to monitor your activity and send that information through to Facebook.

The social media platform claims to use that data for targeted advertising, creating a more personalized user experience, and detecting account security issues. While Facebook states that it doesn’t sell your information to anyone, it has shared sensitive user data with other entities in the past.

Who reports your activity to Facebook?

Any organization that runs a website you visit or an app that you use could potentially report your activity to Facebook. Some companies use Business Tools provided by the social media platform to enhance their sites and monitor metrics, but such tools also facilitate the collection of your off-Facebook activity.

What data do sites transfer to Facebook?

Websites and apps that use Business Tools may transfer certain types of off-Facebook data to the social media platform, including:

• Login activity
• Content viewed
• Terms searched
• Apps opened
• Purchases
• Items added to shopping carts
• Donations made

Evidently, much of the information that sites transfer to Facebook should be private and isn’t something many of us would share with random strangers. Does providing that sort of data to a profit-driven social media company seem like a smart or safe move? The verdict rests with you, but we can help you make an informed decision.

Is Off-Facebook activity safe

While the social media leviathan declares that it doesn’t collect off-Facebook activity data for nefarious purposes, some may view the act as a violation of privacy. On top of that, a security breach or a change in policy could result in the company exposing your private information to other entities.

Unless you want to see targeted ads and offer extra information to the platform’s algorithm, allowing Facebook to collect off-site activity isn’t necessary and could pose a needless risk.

How to access Off-Facebook Activity

In the spirit of providing some transparency, Facebook allows you to view your off-site activity and see what information the company has collected. Here’s how to access your off-Facebook activity:

1. Go to Facebook.com and login if necessary
2. Click the Disclosure triangle in the top right corner and go to Settings & privacy > Settings
3. Navigate to Your Facebook Information > Off-Facebook Activity

From here, you can see which organizations have provided off-Facebook activity data and discover exactly what type of information the social media platform has received. Did you know that you don’t have to share any off-site activity with Facebook? If you’re concerned about having your private data harvested, you may consider disabling off-Facebook activity altogether — which is certainly an option.

What happens when you turn off future Off-Facebook Activity?

When you disable off-Facebook activity, the social media platform stops collecting off-site data related to your browsing and purchasing habits. Additionally, opting out of the program disconnects previously collected off-Facebook activity information from your account, supposedly wiping the slate clean.

You can, if you prefer, disable off-site information collection for specific websites and apps or choose only to clear past data. Facebook clearly gives you some control over how the program functions on your account, so you can customize your settings to suit your privacy style.

How to turn off your off-Facebook activity

Here’s how to disable off-Facebook activity:

1. Go to Facebook.com and login if necessary

2. Click the Disclosure triangle in the top right corner and go to Settings & privacy > Settings > Your Facebook Information > Off-Facebook Activity

3. Click Manage Your Off-Facebook Activity and go to Manage Future Activity

4. Click the Manage Future Activity button when prompted and switch off Future Off-Facebook Activity

From here, you can also view and manage a list of websites and apps for which you’ve already disabled off-Facebook activity.

If you’d prefer, you can turn off your off-Facebook activity for individual apps and websites by following these steps:

1. Go to Facebook.com and login if necessary
2. Click the Disclosure triangle in the top right corner and go to Settings & privacy > Settings
3. Go to Your Facebook Information > Off-Facebook Activity
4. Click Manage Your Off-Facebook Activity
5. Select the website or app you want to modify and click Turn off future activity from…

On the Manage Your Off-Facebook Activity page you also have the Clear History button, which will disconnect all previously collected off-site data from your account. If you’ve disabled off-Facebook activity, clearing your history is another important step towards reclaiming your privacy.

Control the data Facebook collects

While social media platforms like Facebook aren’t going to stop harvesting data anytime soon, you do have some control over the information that companies collect. Delving into the privacy settings of each service you use and customizing your account to match your values is worth the effort.

You don’t have to let Facebook or any other social media company turn you into a product for their profit. The power — at least for now — lies with you.
To have more control over your digital privacy and security, get yourself a reliable VPN like VeePN. With its network of more than 2500 VPN servers in over 70 countries, bank-level encryption, and advanced features like Kill Switch or Double VPN, you can finally give your digital self some peace of mind.

FAQ

How do I stop Facebook from tracking my internet activity?

If you want to stop Facebook from tracking your browsing habits, disabling off-Facebook activity within the platform’s settings is an effective first step. Additionally, utilizing security software that provides social media tracker blocking, such as VeePN’s Chrome extension, should completely keep Facebook and other data harvesters off your trail.

Is Facebook monitoring my offline activity?

While Facebook does collect off-Facebook information to monitor your activity on other apps and websites, no reports currently suggest that the company records offline events. Therefore, at this stage, your offline activities should remain safe from the prying eyes of the social media giant.

How does Facebook know what I’m talking about?

Facebook’s algorithms have gotten so good at making inferences based on harvested data, such as browsing habits, shopping style, and location information, that it doesn’t need to listen in on your conversations to present relevant — and often uncanny — ads. The social media company already knows you better than you might think.

Written by VeePN Research Lab VeePN Research Lab is dedicated to provide you latest posts about internet security and privacy.

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