You’re aware that Facebook takes your information — but do you know just how much data it gathers on you?
“Facebook uses all the information it can find about you - yes, including [information] you didn’t provide,” Long says. “Even if you’ve never had a Facebook account, Facebook actively gathers info on you and uses it to create a profile for you - your age, your location, your preferences, your gender, whether or not you have kids, how educated you are, etc.”
According to Long, this information is used to more effectively target you for ads based on this profile, or it’s sold on to third parties that can utilize this info as they wish. “Sadly, Facebook has their fingers in a million pies, so it’s almost impossible to avoid them,” Long says. “Facebook also owns super popular apps like Instagram and Whatsapp, so even if you don’t have Facebook, you’re still in their clutches.”
If you can, Long says the best thing to do is avoid Facebook’s apps entirely, or try to create profiles that aren’t necessarily accurate for your person. “I wouldn’t post any pictures of yourself or your family, because once they’re out, they’re out,” Long says. “Those posts that were going around a few years ago telling Facebook that it doesn’t have permission to use your pictures is worth nothing.”
Unfortunately, you agree to these terms when you install the app, so there’s nothing you can really do about it — except delete and never look back. “And even then, be careful - deactivation means the profile still lives out there somewhere,” Long says. “You want to wipe it out completely.”