Nearly everyone has now heard about Facebook user data of 50 million accounts being acquired by Cambridge Analytica, and many users are rightly concerned about what others can see on their profiles. It has also now been revealed that Facebook has saved contact, call, and text data from Android phones if the user has downloaded and used the Facebook app.
If you read the first part of this brief series, you know that there are some settings on the mobile app you can change. Now let's take a look at what you should look at from your browser.
There are many, many settings in Facebook, and it can take an hour or two to properly go through them all. I'll cover only a few in this blog.
Desktop Settings
1. Access your settings from the top right dropdown menu.
2. Click on the Apps section to the bottom left side.
3. Here you will see a list of all the apps you have used and granted permission to access your Facebook profile. Some apps you may want to just delete - if you haven't used them in more than a year, chances are high that you won't use them again any time soon. Others you may want to check the settings and see what information exactly you have granted them permission to see.
4. If you want to revoke permissions to certain information, such as your friends list, but still keep the app, you can do so in this view.
5. If you scroll down in the settings for a particular app, you will see a section entitled "Remove Info Collected by the App". Facebook cautions you that it is not a guarantee that the developer will remove the data they have collected, but you can send a request if you wish.
Apps Others Use
Probably the most important section for app security is the Apps Others Use category. In this section, Facebook used to tell you: "People on Facebook who can see your info can bring it with them when they use apps. This makes their experience better and more social. Use the settings below to control the categories of information that people can bring with them when they use apps, games and websites." This explanation is then followed by multiple check boxes.
As of March 28, 2018, this section in your App Settings has been deactivated and the settings removed for all users. Facebook now says: "These outdated settings have been removed because they applied to an older version of our platform that no longer exists."
If you are still concerned, confirm that the Apps Others Use section has been deactivated on your profile under your App Settings.
Ready to check Facebook settings on your mobile app? Click here for Mobile Settings.