FACEBOOK users have been encouraged to check their settings over a new pop-up requesting their ‘link history’.
The feature allows users to keep track of all the link they visit via the social media platform – but why does Facebook want access to the data?
Well, after Apple cracked down on app tracking – the new feature gives Facebook a convenient way to improve its targeted advertising, as a report by Gizmodo points out.
Meta makes most of its revenue from advertisements.
So, it’s important for Meta to continue having access to the data that reveals what its users are interested in and will click on.
According to Meta – the company that owns Facebook, alongside Instagram and WhatsApp – the feature ensures that users “never lose” a link again.
“Easily get back to recent links you’ve visited with your Facebook browsing activity now saved in one place,” an in-app notification about the feature says.
In a support article, the company notes: “Keep in mind that when link history is on, we may use link history information from Facebook’s Mobile Browser to improve your ads across Meta technologies.”
The new link history feature is not enabled by default.
So, if you’re a fan of targeted advertising then you can head into your settings to switch the feature on.
However, if you’d rather go without targeted ads, decline the pop-up.
If in the – quite likely – event you have opted into the feature in a bid to quickly exit the pop-up, then you can head into your settings to disable link history.
To access your link history settings, you must first open a link from within the Facebook app.
Next, tap on the ‘…’ menu to open the settings from the in-app browser.
Then, look for the link history toggle.
Here, you can enable or disable the feature.
Note: If you want to disable the feature, you will have to confirm via a pop-up that you want it disabled.
Why does it feel like Facebook is snooping on you?
Here's what you need to know…
- The magic of targeted advertising is that it should feel relevant to you – even if you can’t figure out why.
- Facebook doesn’t need to spy on your real-life conversations, because you hand over so much information anyway.
- Follow this link and you’ll be able to download everything Facebook knows about you. Most of you will quickly realise it’s a staggering amount of information.
- Advertisers can use information gleaned from your activity all across the web, on multiple devices, even if you’re not logged into Facebook or other services.
- They’ll likely know where you live, what you like, who your friends are, how much money you make, your political beliefs and much more.
- So when you get ads for something you’ve talked about out loud, it’s almost certainly just advertisers being very good at predicting your interests.
- It’s also possible that there’s an advertising campaign running, and you’ve seen an ad and not noticed. You’ve then spoken about it, never realising you’ve been advertised to, and only then notice future ads – which suddenly seem suspicious.
- Let’s say you talked about a holiday to Scotland, and then all of a sudden you’re being advertised holidays to Scotland.
- You may never have searched for anything to do with that before.
- But Facebook could use info about your level of wealth, your past holiday interests, the time of year (ads for wintry Scottish retreats are common in the colder months), and your location.
- What seems like snooping is actually just clever advertising.
