Facebook recently rolled out a new “Link History” setting that creates a special repository of all the links you click on in the Facebook mobile app. You can opt out if you’re proactive, but the company is pushing Link History on users, and the data is used for targeted ads. As lawmakers introduce tech regulations and Apple and Google beef up privacy restrictions, Meta is doubling down and searching for new ways to preserve its data harvesting empire.
The company pitches Link History as a useful tool for consumers “with your browsing activity saved in one place,” rather than another way to keep tabs on your behavior. With the new setting you’ll “never lose a link again,” Facebook says in a pop-up encouraging users to consent to the new tracking method. The company goes on to mention that “When you allow link history, we may use your information to improve your ads across Meta technologies.” The app keeps the toggle switched on in the pop-up, steering users towards accepting Link History unless they take the time to look carefully.
↫ Thomas Germain at Gizmodo
As more and more people in the technology press who used to be against Facebook have changed their tune since the launch of Facebook’s Threads – the tech press needs eyeballs in one place for ad revenue, and with Twitter effectively dead, Threads is its replacement – it’s easy to forget just what a sleazy, slimy, and disgusting company Facebook really is.
Nope. never getting a facebook account. (nor a twitter or microsoft account either)
This is why all website are littered with these “facebook like” buttons, which are actually javascript trackers, not just markup added to the page.
Esh yeah. Threads is less bad in what it actively promotes, but all the Meta employees on it complaining about how Apple took away tracking in IOS reminds one how awful the company is. ” why don’t you want more personalized ads?” I’m not opposed to that, but have zero faith in you preventing bad actors from weaponizing the targeted ad placement to further false information in service of undermining democracy.