6 things to know about your Facebook account
There's a lot of confusion regarding your Facebook account and data -- we try to help clear things up.
With so much attention on the social media giant we can't seem to live without, it's easy to get worked up regarding its policies.
It's totally understandable! Especially given the revelations over the past few weeks about user data collected and sold to Cambridge Analytica .
Apps and data collection
To Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's credit, users do opt in to a lot of Facebook's services, many of which share your data either directly with the company, third-party developers or advertisers. If we're being real, not many of us read through exactly what's being shared as we rush to log in to the mobile version of PlayerUnknown's Battleground using Facebook. I know I didn't.
What's done is done, but you still have control over every app's access to your data going forward. CNET's Alina Bradford walks you through the process to disconnect apps from your Facebook account.
Go nuclear
If you're done with Facebook and no longer want to willingly trade your information for access to the service, then delete your account.
I know, it's scary to think you'll suddenly be cut off from high school friends you no longer talk to in real life. But, look, if you're that concerned about your privacy, this is the right step to take.
Have more objections? Sharon Profis sheds some light on why it's OK to delete your account and goes through the steps you'll need to follow.
Russian influence
Facebook was surrounded in controversy long before the Cambridge Analytica stuff surface. The mishaps go back to the surge in fake news and Russian interference in the 2016 election.
How do you know if you were possibly influenced by Russian propaganda on Facebook? It created a tool to help you find out.
Did Cambridge Analytica get your data?
Facebook currently claims 87 million users and their account data were accessed by Cambridge Analytica. That's a lot of people.
Similar to the Russian tool, Facebook has created another one for users to check and see what, if any, data was shared with Cambridge Analytica.
Suspect your account was hacked?
Using a weak password or leaving yourself logged into your Facebook account on a random computer are easy ways to give the wrong people access to your account. If things don't seem right with your account and you think you have been hacked, here's how you can check and fix it.
Opt out of all the things
Unfortunately, a lot of what Facebook does or asks for permission to do is confusing and in a format that is opt-out. Meaning if you don't take action, or are confused by the prompt, you'll give up data you don't want to.
The company's recent facial recognition feature to automatically tag you in photos, for example, is one you have to opt out. Read this post to learn more.