You can finally ask Meta to stop tracking you – but there’s a catch
One of the main reasons to avoid social media is because companies like Facebook and Instagram are known to track your web activity. This is mostly due to ads, where the more data these companies gather on you, the more accurate they will be at serving you relevant ads.
For those who hate being tracked, you might be in luck. In a report from The Wall Street Journal, it appears that Meta will soon allow users to request that they no longer be tracked. It sounds like good news, doesn’t it? But there is a catch or two.
For starters, it seems that this change is in response to EU laws regarding privacy, in which Meta has been fined multiple times to the tune of over $400 million. This means that only those in the EU will be able to opt out of it. The next catch is that if you do live in the EU, opting out won’t be as easy as toggling a switch.
It seems that users will need to submit an online form to object to Meta’s use of their data, and even then it’s no guarantee. It seems that Meta will need to evaluate the submission and then decide whether or not they will implement the change. This means that even if you submit a request, it might not necessarily be granted.
We can’t say we’re surprised at the hoops users will need to jump through to stop being tracked. We’re sure some of you remember the fuss Meta kicked up when Apple introduced anti-tracking features in iOS, so it is clear the company is not giving up on its tracking without a good fight.
Source: Android Authority