How and why Facebook tracks your location data – CHOICE

Data protection and privacy / Data collection and use / Who has your data
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The countless ways Facebook collects your data are still being uncovered by journalists and government bodies the world over.
Among the many data categories is location tracking and history. The places you go, your opinions on them and the things you buy or do there are all valuable information for advertisers.
If you’re curious about how much is known about you, you can request a download of the information Facebook has gathered on you over the years. We took a look at a single user profile activated in 2007 and received almost 7.5GB (gigabytes) across two files.
Here are three ways Facebook tracks your location:
Facebook has also confirmed it partners with retailers via loyalty programs to track instore purchases.
Despite what is commonly believed, Facebook doesn’t sell your information to advertisers. Instead, advertisers approach Facebook (or vice versa) with a goal like “We want to reach women under 40 who enjoy skiing and are likely to buy products online”. 
If Facebook believes you fit into a category like this, you might see ads, articles or other content from that advertiser pop up in your feed or elsewhere on Facebook.
Your location helps build this profile on you in a few ways, including:
If you’ve given an app or service access to your Facebook account, it might use your location information for its own purposes. Facebook claims to have put stricter guidelines in place to control this activity in recent years, but it’s still a good idea to go into your account and see what apps are linked. 
Delete anything you don’t use or would prefer doesn’t have access. Keep in mind if you use your Facebook account as a sign-in for an app or service, it will regain access the next time you log into it.
You can control how Facebook gathers and stores your location information – to a degree. We’ll cover the main points, but we recommend exploring the settings and seeing what other options you’d like to adjust or disable.
To disable GPS, Wi-Fi and cellular network tracking and location history on a phone or tablet (iPhone, iPad or Android), open your Facebook app and tap the three horizontal bars. Tap to expand Settings & Privacy, then Settings. 
In the search bar, type “Location” and select the result to control location services and history. 
For the more privacy-conscious, perhaps an even safer method is to uninstall the app and access your account via your device’s web browser.
Even if location tracking is disabled, your IP address might give you away. A VPN will fix this problem. Remember to only use a paid VPN service as free VPNs usually aren’t worth the risk.
You could also use the free TOR browser for mobile, which hides your IP address in a similar way to a VPN, but is often much slower.
If you want to keep your movements private, avoid tagging yourself at specific venues or with other people, who themselves might be broadcasting their location.
Also disable facial recognition in your account settings, so your smiling face won’t be automatically tagged in anyone else’s photos.
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Alex Angove-Plumb worked at CHOICE from 2018 to 2024 as a technology content producer. You can find him on LinkedIn.
Alex Angove-Plumb worked at CHOICE from 2018 to 2024 as a technology content producer. You can find him on LinkedIn.
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