Facebook launches new tool to address privacy concerns

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Some Facebook users recognize the social media company is tracking how they use the platform.

“That makes sense,” said Miriam Heath of Pawtucket. “They have the right to do that. It’s their website.”

But some are frustrated by what they see as an invasion of their privacy.

“Honestly, I want to give up all technology at this point in my life,” said Kasey Quicksill of Providence.

“I think it’s too late, and our privacy’s already been invaded,” said Isabella Henderson of Providence. “I want it back.”

Now Facebook is trying to address some of those concerns with a new tool called “Off–Facebook Activity.”

It shows you all the sources outside Facebook that are providing information about you to the company.

“Most people have 40 to 80 apps on a smartphone,” said Nick Tella, a cybersecurity expert and professor at Johnson & Wales University. “And they use up to 40 a month. That’s a lot of data that’s being collected from various sources.”

Remember that lengthy contract you quickly scrolled through and clicked “agree?” That’s how these apps can share your data with Facebook.

“You want to use this new app, and you just click through it,” Tella said. “But you have no idea what you just gave up.”

Facebook’s new tool allows you to clear that third–party activity from your Facebook account.

But here’s the catch: Facebook can still track how you use its own service.

“They may not be getting the data from you as a user on these other apps, but Facebook is still collecting data about you as a user of their platform,” Tella said.

Still, the cybersecurity expert says this new Facebook tool is a step in the right direction.

“If that data gets into the wrong hands, that could be used to commit crimes, to perpetrate identity theft, and some of those things could be devastating to an individual,” he said. “The more awareness there is out there, the more laws can be enabled to protect us.”

Once a user signs up for the new tool, it takes 48 hours to go into effect.

© WLNE-TV / ABC6 2020