How to stop Facebook from tracking you on your smartphone and the Real World

Facebook is making plans to track your store visits and even purchases with your mobile wallet as explained in the article “Facebook taps GPS, Square to track your in-store visits and purchases”, published 14 June 2016 by Josh Constine, Techcrunch.

This is possible thanks to data sharing partnerships with retailers Square and Marketo. Facebook uses the Facebook App on your phone tapping into GPS, beacons, Wi-Fi, radio signals, and cell towers to triangulate you location. Facebook can then gather data while you’re in the store to know exactly where, when, how and why you purchased what you purchased.

Most likely, this mountain of data will be processed by Facebooks AI in order to serve up the correct ads based on your real-world interests gleaned from this data as explained in my blog article entitled “How Facebook AI Engineers use AutoML to teach FLOW to make Asimo”.

Facebook is tracking you; plain and simple.

After all, how else could they possible be able to send you Advertisements tailored to you in their version of Facebook Ads as explained in my blog article entitled “How Facebook Ads is using AI to build their version of Google Adwords and Adsense”.

This video explains how Facebook Track you even when you're not on Facebook.

Basically Facebook is Santa Clause! Folks, you don't have to put up with Facebook Tracking you and posting ads based on your activity on your Facebook page, even when you're not on Facebook.  

How to stop Facebook from Tracking you - Apple, Google Android and Google Chrome users covered

First, I'll help the Apple iPhone users then the Android Users.

 For Apple users, use the following instructions to stop FB from tracking you and displaying their annoying ads while you browse or play games:

1.      Go to Settings

2.      Select Privacy

3.      Select Advertising

4.      Select Limit ad Tracking

Now to disable the Facebook ads on Google Android smartphones:

1.      Go to Settings

2.      Select Accounts & Synch

3.      Select Google

4.      Select Ads

5.      Select Opt out of Interest Based Ads

For Google Chrome users, I've got you covered:

1.      Click the three dots in the upper right corner

2.      Scroll down to advanced settings

3.      Scroll down further

4.      Select checkbox labled Send “Do Not Track” request with your browsing traffic

But this is in your Devices. What about Facebook itself? Can you stop them tracking you from within Facebook?

How to disable Facebook's Targeted Ads - Disabling Facebook at Source as Deletion is an Option

For this, you'll need to log into Facebook on a Desktop computer and change a few settings as show in the video.

The steps are as follows:

1.      Select Settings from the drop down menu

2.      Click Ads in the Left column

3.      Click on Ads on Apps and Websites off of Facebook companies

4.      Select No in the Drop Down menu

5.      Select Ads based on use of websites and Apps

6.      Select Off in the Drop Down menu

7.      Select Ads of my Social Actions

8.      Select No One in the Drop Down menu

9.      Select Ads based on my preferences

10.  Go through the list and deselect the preference you don't want FB tracking

Once this done, you would have stopped Facebook completely in its tracks without having to resort to using Ad blocker! Remember, you can always remove Facebook and Facebook Messenger as use the Web or WAP version as explained in my Geezam blog article entitled “How to stop Facebook and Messenger from draining your battery”

Sharing is Caring so share this article with as many of your friends who need help with Facebook!