We already know Facebook keeps more tabs on us than we want it to but just what extent does that kind of thing go? Well, to be completely honest we may not even know.
Did you know that Facebook keeps a file on you? Well, it does. This file contains detailed records of your activity while you are logged in. While you most likely were not aware of these files, they do exist and you can download yours right off of your profile.
Facebook can collect data on every element of your digital ‘identity’ on the network. This means everything from what you search for who you message and potentially what you are saying as well. Facebook makes use of things like plug-ins and cookies as well which also means it can track your internet activity in general.
This is done to collect data through third-party websites. Even if you aren’t necessarily signed in if you are liking or sharing Facebook content or visiting sites with their ads you are being noticed. According to DailyMail, there are over 10,000 websites containing invisible trackers which record information about their visitors.
Nick Whigham a reporter for the New Zealand Herald actually took the time to see what Facebook had in his files and was quite surprised by what he found. He found scanned copies of lease forms from a previous rental property he had sent to a friend over messenger, an old billing statement from his home broadband, screenshots of things like bank transfers, and even endless pages of the conversations he had on the platform itself. When you actually go through these things it becomes quite alarming.
Whigham explained how to download your personal data as follows:
Facebook was the first of the big social media companies to give users the ability to download a file containing their personal history on the service. Google followed in 2011 and Twitter in 2012.
It’s undeniably a good thing. It means you can partake in ACCC chairman Rod Sim’s game of comparing if the amount of personal data Facebook has on you is in line with your expectations.
To download it, click at the top right of any Facebook page and select Settings.
Click “Download a copy of your Facebook data” below your General Account Settings and then click the green button.
It takes about 10 minutes for Facebook to retrieve the file. You’ll get an email and notification when it’s ready to download.
Even if you don’t use Facebook very much, you might be surprised by what you find.
Will you be downloading your files to see what it is they have on you? I know I will but I am quite nervous about what I will find. Even if I am just a normal person it still feels quite violating to think about there being a file of my activities out there somewhere. What do you think about all of this? Should this be allowed?
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