You might accept heard rumors or news reports that the Facebook app tin spy on you using your smartphone's camera or microphone. But is that really true? And how else could the site know so much about you?

Can the Facebook App Spy on Users?

Facebook spying - app

In Nov 2019, iPhone and Facebook user Joshua Maddux tweeted a video showing that when he browsed through the news feed in his Facebook app, his iPhone photographic camera would be opened at strange times. Other users investigated and found similar issues.

When an iOS user opens the Facebook app on their device and scrolls through the news feed, the photographic camera of their device may open up in the groundwork. In that location's no reason that this should happen. And it'due south very uncomfortable to call up the app is watching users without their knowledge equally they browse.

The beingness of the bug was confirmed by Facebook to The Guardian. Merely a company spokesperson insisted that no photos or videos had been uploaded due to the bug. It's likely that this was truly a security mistake, and not an actual attempt to spy on users.

Facebook submitted a fix for the app issue to the Apple App Shop very quickly. This issues should now exist removed from iOS and should no longer be a problem.

Does Facebook Use Smartphone Mics or Cameras to Spy on You?

Facebook spying - camera and microphone

This story fabricated news headlines because many people are suspicious about how Facebook collects information nigh them. It'southward a commonly held conventionalities that Facebook surreptitiously turns on the camera or microphone of smartphones to spy on users.

Despite the security issues mentioned to a higher place, in that location'due south no show that Facebook actually does this. Facebook has emphatically denied that it spies on users in the past.

Yet, you can see why people might believe this. It's a very common experience to exist discussing a product with a friend, and then for that product to exist "magically" advertised to yous on Facebook within a few days. Or when you're planning a trip, for Facebook to recommend you a product similar a new suitcase.

This makes information technology appear equally if Facebook must be spying on you lot without your knowledge.

Facebook Doesn't Need to Spy on You to Exist Creepy and Invasive

The truth is, Facebook doesn't demand to spy on you lot through your smartphone's microphone or camera in social club to target ads at you with uncanny accurateness. People usually assume that Facebook must exist spying on them considering it is then accurate at predicting their interests.

How Facebook Collects Information on You

Facebook spying - collecting data

Facebook is able to gobble upwards a tremendous corporeality of information nearly yous. From this, it tin can predict your ownership beliefs extremely accurately.

The first piece of data Facebook uses to target ads is simply your location. By knowing where yous live and spend most of your time, Facebook can predict a lot well-nigh your interests, personality, and purchasing habits. And when the app detects yous are in a new location, then information technology knows y'all are traveling. And then that'south a sign to advertise vacation items or travel accessories.

Another big source of information is a tool called a Facebook Pixel. This is a pocket-size snippet of lawmaking which webmasters for sites outside of Facebook tin can use to add Facebook tracking to their sites. Information technology'south similar to a browser cookie, but for Facebook exclusively. This is why when you look at item like a pair of shoes on Amazon and then log into Facebook, you'll often see an advert for the specific shoes you were just looking at.

Facebook Pixels are extremely common on sites across the internet. They allow Facebook to build upwardly a profile of your behavior outside of the site and app. This makes it easier to target ads at you.

Other sources of data are your friends and family. Facebook knows that if a close friend of yours is interested in a product, the odds are high that you lot'd be interested in it likewise. Is also uses data like your stated interests and pages you have liked to build upward a profile of yous. All this information can predict your habits and behaviors very well.

How to End Facebook From Tracking Yous Online

Facebook spying - stop tracking

Even if it's not actively spying on you lot, it'southward still creepy how much data that Facebook collects about y'all. Fortunately, in that location are ways yous can lessen the amount of information which Facebook collects most you. Hither are some ways to forestall Facebook from tracking y'all online:

  • Delete your Facebook account. This is a drastic footstep, but information technology'due south the all-time style to stop Facebook harvesting data about you. If yous go this route, be sure to delete your account and not merely to conciliate it. Fifty-fifty if your business relationship is deactivated, Facebook will go along to collect data about you.
  • Use browser extensions which block Facebook tracking. In that location are extensions for both Chrome and Firefox to limit how much data Facebook can hoover upward about you. These work by blocking Facebook Pixels and other trackers. Try an extension like Disconnect or Facebook Container.
  • Apply general privacy browser extensions. While you're calculation extensions, now is a good time to consider other privacy tools as well. For instance, the Electronic Borderland Foundation, a respected digital rights grouping, has a tool called Privacy Badger. This blocks online trackers without you needing to do annihilation. You might also consider using a full general blocking tool like uBlock Origin.
  • Use a Facebook Pixel-blocking tool. If information technology's Facebook Pixels in detail which both you lot, you should expect into a visitor chosen Ghostery. The company produces reports on tracking tools, including those used past Facebook. And they accept a browser extension to block Pixels and many other trackers besides.

Further Steps to Limit Facebook Tracking

The above steps all limit the way Facebook can access your information from the outside. Simply at that place are also means to limit the reach of Facebook from within:

  • Suit your Facebook settings. With all the focus on privacy recently, Facebook has tried to make its privacy options stronger. It's always a good idea to check your privacy settings. However, it'due south impossible to opt out of all the means Facebook collects data on yous.
  • Revoke the Facebook app'southward permissions. If you're even so concerned that Facebook is spying on you through the app, you can revoke the app's access to your photographic camera and microphone. Then you won't exist able to take motion-picture show direct through the Facebook app. But you lot can exist more sure that the app isn't watching or listening to y'all.

Facebook Is Harvesting Your Information

The bug which allow the Facebook app open users' cameras without permission really does appear to have been an honest mistake. However, Facebook doesn't need to use your camera or microphone to spy on you. It already has more than enough data virtually yous to predict your behavior.

This is just ane of the many issues Facebook has had regarding privacy and security. Here's why Facebook is a security and privacy nightmare.