Is it still useful to introduce Facebook? The social networking service created 12 years ago by Mark Zuckerberg. With 1.4 billion members worldwide, it’s the second most visited website in the world. We use Facebook every day, we share many personals things called data, but do we really know what’s Facebook is doing with that?
Here’s five things that you should know about Facebook data collection.
1. Facebook is collecting your data
Facebook is collecting all data that users provide on the website such as posts, photos, location, etc. Facebook is also collecting information and content that other people provide about users.
Finally, it’s collecting various informations about payments, devices, apps and services used, addresses, phone numbers, mails, marital status, family members, educational level, gender, age, occupation, political affiliation, geolocation information and Internet activities.
According to Facebook the data collected is necessary to “provide and develop services” and “to improve user experience”. Indeed, with this Facebook can especially offer to users personalized content and suggestions.
2. Facebook is selling your data
“If you’re not paying for a product, then you probably are the product”.
Facebook is also collecting data in order to sell it to advertisers. Indeed, they can buy audience for promoting their advertising. With its personal data collection, Facebook allows targeting advertising. Rather, this allows marketers to target users based on more detailed informations. Yet, Facebook says that it does not give personal data from an individual user to marketers and gives anonymized data. Therefore, Facebook’s business model is largely built on the data that users provide.
3. Facebook is keeping your data
Facebook is keeping your data indefinitely, even if you leave. Indeed, it’s possible to download a copy of all archived data on a page or a Facebook account, over several years.
4. Facebook is studying your data
Facebook is also studying your data. Indeed, it measures the effectiveness of ads and services. According to Facebook, it is doing that to offer personalized content and suggestions to the users.
5. Facebook is tracking your movements across the web
Facebook is keeping a trace about your movements across different websites whether you are logged into the service or not. Thus, Facebook is monitoring the browsing habits of users.
Moreover, the CNIL reproaches to Facebook the tracking of no-users of Facebook thanks to the cookies. Indeed, according to the CNIL, Facebook is tracking them by placing a cookie on their browser without informing them when they visit a Facebook page.
Leslie CHARABIE
Currently, student in Digital Economy Law, I’ve developed a great interest in ICT and e-marketing.
I am also interested and intrigued by the issues of intellectual property, personal data protection and cyberthreats.
