From July 5, 2023, Meta wants to collect and use some information about us as a “legitimate interest”.
Social media giant Meta, known for its Facebook and Instagram platforms, has once again overhauled the way it collects and uses data. Taking a look at the changes is essential to ensure the protection of our data.
Info: Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has implemented unified terms of service and privacy policies across its various platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, since mid-2022. These regulations will be changed again on July 5, 2023. The announced innovation allows users to limit the information that Meta uses to personalize advertising. However, this adjustment comes with hurdles and does not mean that users will be able to completely disable advertising. It remains to be seen how effective and user-friendly these new options will be.
Meta's approach to data collection and use
From July 5, 2023, Meta intends to collect and use certain information about us for “legitimate interests”. One of the most important changes seems positive at first glance: users can prohibit certain data from being used to select advertising.
However, this option comes with a hurdle: Meta requires justification for the data blocking and reserves the right to accept or reject it. The necessary forms can be found here on Facebook and here on Instagram .
This practice contradicts EU law, which requires Meta to obtain users' permission to collect and use data for advertising purposes. NOYB has already announced legal action against this practice. (NOYB – European Center for Digital Rights is a non-governmental organization based in Vienna dedicated to enforcing data protection within the European Union.)
It should also be noted that these changes do not apply to WhatsApp, which is also part of Meta but has privacy policy
Metas data collection: online and offline
Meta can also track you outside of its platforms . This is done through cookies and plugins that collect data about your online activities, even when you are not actively using Meta's products. Meta may also receive data about your offline activities, for example when you sign up for a customer program at a store.
Meta's methods to track and locate its users. An example:
Meta, has various methods to track and locate its users. Here is a concrete example:
Imagine you are in a clothing store and you see a pair of shoes that you like. You decide not to buy the shoes right away, but go home to find out more about them on the Internet. You open your browser and visit the clothing store's website to learn more about the shoes. This website may have a Facebook pixel or similar tracking tool installed that collects data about your visit and sends it to Meta.
When you later log in to Facebook or Instagram, you'll see ads for the exact shoes you were looking at. This is because Meta has linked your website visit data to your social media profile and now shows you personalized advertising.
For location determination: If you have the Facebook or Instagram app installed on your smartphone and location access enabled for these apps, Meta may also collect data about your physical location. This means the company could know when you visit or are nearby the clothing store and offer you targeted advertising accordingly.
Note: These data collection and tracking methods are widely used and are used not only by Meta but also by many other companies and websites. However, you have the option to limit or block some of these tracking methods by adjusting your privacy settings and using certain browser plugins or privacy tools.
That sounds worrying, doesn't it? However, there are some steps you can take to limit this type of surveillance. For example, you can use different browsers for Facebook and other websites or prohibit the storage of third-party cookies.
Location-based data and advertising
Another facet of Meta's data policy is the use of location data to select advertising. For example, if you use Facebook or Instagram as an app, Meta can track your location and show you location-based advertising.
This may sound harmless, but it's worth thinking about the possible consequences. You can turn off this feature by disabling the location service on your smartphone or by blocking Facebook and Instagram from accessing your location.
Data collection from devices
Meta reserves the right to collect information about the devices you use and their usage. This includes your device's operating system, battery level, mobile network information, and even the files and applications on your device.
The potential impact of this data collection is concerning and it is advisable to take measures to limit data collection. This includes restricting app permissions for meta apps on the device and activating “do not track” settings in the internet browser.
How can you protect your data?
There are different ways to protect your data and limit data collection:
- Restrict app permissions :
On your device, you can control what data an app can access. You can restrict access to your location data, camera, contacts, microphone and other permissions. - Using Do Not Track settings in your browser :
This setting sends a request to all websites not to track your online activities. However, it should be noted that these requests may be ignored by websites. - Using different browsers :
Using different browsers for different activities can help keep your online activities separate and prevent Meta's tracking technology from tracking all of your online activity. - Preventing the storage of third-party cookies :
Third-party cookies can be used to track your online activities across various websites. You can deactivate the storage of these cookies in your browser. - Use of privacy tools :
There are various tools and browser extensions that can help anonymize your online activities and protect your privacy.
Conclusion
Meta's new privacy policy shows once again how important it is to protect your privacy and control your data. It is important to be aware of the various methods that companies like Meta may use to collect data and to take steps to limit access to this data and protect one's privacy. Staying informed and protecting our data as best as possible is ultimately our own responsibility. While it is not possible to prevent all data collection, we can take steps to protect our data as best as possible.
Also read:
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )