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London - Facebook has admitted that it monitors every single web page its members visit - even when they have logged out.
In its latest privacy blunder, the social networking site was forced to confirm that it constantly tracks its 750 million users, even when they are using other sites.
Most would assume that Facebook stops monitoring them after they leave, but technology bloggers have discovered this is not the case.
In fact, data is regularly sent back to the social network’s servers - helping Facebook make billions of pounds each year from advertising, as such information is highly valuable.
The website’s practices were exposed by Australian technology blogger Nik Cubrilovic and have provoked a furious response across the internet.
Mr Cubrilovic found that when you sign up to Facebook it automatically puts files known as “cookies” on your computer which monitor your browsing history.
Some cookies remain on your computer after you log out, and report back when you visit a site connected to Facebook. This covers millions of websites and refers to anything with a Facebook “like” or “recommend” button on it.
Mr Cubrilovic said: “The only solution is to delete every Facebook cookie in your browser. This is not what ‘log out’ is supposed to mean.” - Daily Mail
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Janette, wrote
Anonymous, wrote
1. you're not paying for the use of FB, so they have to make money off you somehow. 2. they only track sites which have FB widgets on them; if a site has no FB liketrack button, there's no way they can know you went to a site. A cookie is a flat piece of information, it is not a spy program. Cookies are what enable you, for example, to go to Google Search, and see that it has set 'safesearch' to 'on', because Google gave you a cookie that says 'safesearch=on'. Cookies are just preference files for websites. 3. So what if they track what other sites you 'like' via a FB icon? All those sites are OKlegit 4. If you're looking at dodgy sites, FB won't know about it, and even if they do, who cares? It's a machine, not a human. They don't have the staff to manually look at everyone's records and see oooooh - you looked at a pron site. 5. As for getting junk mail because of FB - no. Not unless you set the FB privacy settings such that ANYONE can see your email address. IF you set your email address to 'friends only', then NONE of your junk mail is because of FB. You get junk mail from posting your email clear text on a website, or, from giving it to dodgy sites that on-sell it. Or even worse; your email server was scanned with a name dictionary attack, and they just found it because your email address was something easy like bobby@iol.co.za. 6. FB use the information to do the advert targeting on the side panel. I like that. I prefer to have it offer me relevant adverts, rather than stuff I am not interested in.
Beicime, wrote
Not expected from Facebook but reality is that many other webpages leave cookies behind and get information from the people that access them. One should use programs to delete all internet traces.
Susan, wrote
Unfortunately, FB is very much a public domain. I tend to use it mostly to view photographs, never accept 'gifts' & then use e-mail for regular correspondence.
Anonymous, wrote
nic, wrote
Facebook is an awesome social network. If it's users are allowing this by being stupid and not clearing history and cookies its hardly their (FB) fault.
Anonymous, wrote
It doesn't matter if you delete your cookies,browsing history and clear your cache, the systems they use saves the info as soon as you access it. i always clear mine, yet they keep promting me to watch stand up comedy, buy sneakers and and listen to a certain genre of music. Its personality profiles they are building. They know who you are and they know what you like, Lol, so be careful when you browse people...
Claudio, wrote
Users should setup their browsers to delete all cookies automatically everytime you close the web browser. Cookies have been around for long and they are used by many companies to keep a record of the users browsing preferences.
:|, wrote
@Janette, well that's the point. I assume that everything I post on Facebook is public (although it's not) but the issue here is that the cookies track you AFTER you've stopped using Facebook.
Anonymous, wrote
Janette, wrote
Just always assume anything you post on FB is public anyway and you shouldn't have issues. Or delete you account. Easy peasy!
Anonymous, wrote
Suek, wrote
Stephen, wrote
What makes you think you're so important that someone is physically sitting and monitoring you ? I like the fact that the only adverts popping up on my screen are things that I'd be interested in, instead of just random spam. Monitor away FB. @AgentdarkTroll - You're dead right. Well said. If people have an issue with cookies and tracking, I can recommend using Opera and putting on the setting to delete all tracking data everytime you close Opera. You can also open private tabs which delete every file associated with sites browsed in the private tabs when you close them. Cookies included.
John, wrote
Who cares if they track me. Some computer somewhere in the world can see what I look at on the net. Think about it, 750 million users. It is not monitored by some person who is going to drop a bombshell at your next dinner party because he knows you went on a dodgy site! If anything I prefer that there system monitors me so that I dont get adverts down the side of my page that my mother would find interesting, lol. To all the people out there complaining I say, "Get a life!" The only reason you would complain is if you are ashamed of yourself. If you want to be part of the greatest social network then be prepared to live a transparent life that is beyond reproach and be confident in your own actions. You are not paying for this service so if you dont like it, dont use it, but dont jump around and squeal when the rest of us dont care.
Pauline, wrote
It is not the tracking that caused the stir, but the tracking after you have logged out. Plus users are not informed that they are being tracked whilst NOT using FB. FB could have told users about it they are just being sneaky again. It is like going shopping and the sales assistant follows you round the rest of the mall, long after you have left the store.
sbush, wrote
VUKA, wrote
I have said this before; as long as you are part of these social networks, you are no longer have privacy. Intelligency does no longer spend a cent to get information about individuals.
^_^, wrote
use 2 browsers say firefox for facebook and academicbusiness stuff and a second like chrome for um "special interests" then u can wipe the cookies and stuff and not have to schlep with filling in email passwords and form data.
AgentdarkTroll, wrote
Facebook and You. If you're not paying for it, you're not the customer. You're the product being sold!
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