Block Facebook Advertisers Apps using data without knowledge. easy steps how to block unwanted adverts/apps to have access to your personal data

The other day Times of India carried a post titled “Not just pals, taxmen also tracking FB for your foreign trip pic”. As per the post, Income Tax Officials are keeping a tab on taxpayers facebook Profiles for tracking their posts/pics of foreign trips, new cars etc. 

No doubt, Facebook has become a necessary evil. But it is not only IT officials who might be keeping a tab and following your facebook profile, there are several advertisers and applications that are using your facebook data (your email id, friend lists, your posts, likes etc.) secretly without even your knowledge.

Following few easy steps would reveal such advertisers/applications and you can prevent the data sharing with such advertisers/apps.

(A) Advertisers

A1. Go to Facebook Settings

A2. Click on “Adverts” option in the left pane

A3. There are four sections under “Adverts” tab

(a) Adverts based on my use of websites and apps
(b) Ads on apps and websites off of the Facebook Companies
(c) Adverts with my social actions
(d) Adverts based on my preferences

Click on “edit” on each of four sections one by one and enable or disable based on your decision.

(B) Applications

B1. Go to Face Book Settings

B2. Click on tab “App” on the left pane

B3. In the next screen you will find all the Applications that you are loogged in through Facebook.

As you can see, it says that, “On Facebook your name, profile picture, cover photo, gender, networks, username and user ID are always publicly available to both people and apps. Apps also have access to your friends list and any information that you choose to make public”

Hover on any one of the application and click on edit symbol

In edit Settings you will get a list of all of your information that the App is using, take your time to review each of the sections for each application and decide what information you wish to share.