How to Stop Facebook Apps Using Your Data
You might be desperate to know which Disney Princess you are, or what you’d look like as the opposite sex, but every time you authorise a third-party app to connect to your Facebook account you’re allowing it access to your personal data. And as you have probably noticed in the news of late, there’s a bit of a hoo-ha over one particular Cambridge Analytica personality test. We explain how to remove that authorisation and secure your account.
If you can’t live without knowing whether you should have been born Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora or Belle, you can always allow the permission but then remove it once you have your answer. Do note, however, that deleting the app permissions does not stop them holding the data they already hold on you, and you’ll have to contact the developer direct for more information on that. So keep in mind that if you’re at all worried about this, sometimes it’s better not to click in the first place.
Also note that Facebook has also confirmed that it can track you even if you don’t have an account.“When you visit a site or app that uses our services, we receive information even if you’re logged out or don’t have a Facebook account. This is because other apps and sites don’t know who is using Facebook,”saidFacebook’s product management director, David Baser.
That data includesIP addresses, browser and operating system information, the address of the website or app, cookies and device identifiers, and is used to enhance the company’s service and security.
How to log out of quizzes, tests and other Facebook apps
There are two ways to remove your authorisation for third-party apps to access your data.
Alternatively:
Stop your friends sharing your data on Facebook
It’s not just you that is able to allow apps to see your data. Your friends who are able to see your data also take it with them to improve the user experience with third-party apps. Fortunately you can stop this, too.
The steps we’ve listed above are also available through the Facebook mobile apps, but to access them you’ll need to tap the three lines icon and select Account Settings.
Read next:How to secure Facebook&Most common Facebook scams
Author: Marie Black, Editorial Director, International
Marie is Editorial Director at Foundry. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she’s worked in tech media for almost 20 years, covering all types of consumer tech from smartphones and their accessories to smart home gear. These days she manages our international editorial teams and leads on content strategy, having witnessed first-hand Foundry’s transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.
