Did you know that Facebook and Instagram are tracking you even when you aren’t on their sites? In fact, if you’re visiting other sites through their like buttons or apps, they can track your movements across the web! However, there are several steps you can take to prevent this from happening. Here’s how to stop Facebook and Instagram from tracking you… Facebook and Instagram are Tracking You- Here’s How to Stop Them
Facebook Can Track You Even if You Don’t Have an Account
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Did you know that Facebook can track your online activity even if you don’t have an account with them? Yup, that’s right. If you’re logged into your Facebook account, they can see what you’re doing on other websites that have a Like or Share button. Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to stop them.
Hide Your IP Address While Using Public Wi-Fi
When you use public Wi-Fi, your IP address is visible to anyone on the same network. This makes it easy for them to track your online activity. The best way to protect yourself is to hide your IP address using a VPN. A VPN encrypts your traffic and routes it through a server in another location, making it impossible for anyone to see what you’re doing. There are many free and paid VPNs available, so choose one that suits your needs.
Delete Old Posts
If you’re concerned about your privacy on social media, one of the best things you can do is delete old posts. Facebook and Instagram keep track of everything you post, even if you delete it later. By deleting old posts, you can make it more difficult for these sites to track your activity.
Download a VPN App
When you connect to the internet, your IP address is exposed. This can be used to track your online activity and even your physical location. By downloading a VPN app, you can encrypt your traffic and hide your IP address, making it much harder for Facebook and Instagram (or any other site) to track you.
Clear Browser History & Cookies
To clear your browser history and cookies on Google Chrome, follow these steps:
1. Click the three dots in the top right corner of the browser window.
2. Select History from the drop-down menu.
3. On the left side of the page, click Clear browsing data.
4. A pop-up window will appear. Select the time range for which you want to clear your browsing data.
Block Advertising Cookies With These Chrome Extensions
Advertising cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit. They are used to track your online activity and target you with ads. You can block these cookies with the following Chrome extensions
Disable Location Services
Most people are unaware that Facebook and Instagram collect data on their users even when they’re not using the app. This is done through location services, which can be disabled on both iPhone and Android devices.
Use Private Browsing Mode
If you’re using Safari, click on Safari in the menu bar and select Private Browsing. A new window will open up with a dark grey toolbar. This mode will prevent cookies from being stored on your computer.
Limit Ad Tracking with Ghostery & AdBlock Plus (Firefox, Safari, Opera only!)
AdBlock Plus and Ghostery are both excellent browser extensions that can help limit the amount of tracking that Facebook (and other companies) can do. AdBlock Plus blocks most ads, including those on Facebook, while Ghostery prevents websites from tracking you. Install both of these extensions, and you’ll be able to browse the web without worrying about being tracked by Facebook (or any other company).