After a delay caused by a court case last year, you'll now be able to clear
your <https://9to5mac.com/guides/facebook/> Facebook history - or, more
precisely, force Facebook to forget everything it knows about your
off-Facebook activity thanks to connections with apps and websites.
Facebook <https://9to5mac.com/2018/05/01/facebook-f8-conference-recap/>
first promised the feature back in 2018.
In a post on the platform today, Mark Zuckerberg noted:
"You'll be able to see information about the apps and websites you've
interacted with, and you'll be able to clear this information from your
account. You'll even be able to turn off having this information stored with
your account."
He notes that this is similar to clearing your cookies, cache and history,
meaning that clearing your Facebook history will also force the platform to
re-learn everything about you and your preferences.
Implementation was delayed, however, by a court case which argued that
<https://9to5mac.com/2019/08/26/facebooks-clear-history/> valuable evidence
would be lost. The social network went ahead with a limited trial in
Ireland, South Korea, and Spain - but is now finally
<https://www.facebook.com/off-facebook-activity> rolling it out globally.
Introducing Off-Facebook Activity. A new tool that gives you more control of
your data.
Control is important to you, especially when it comes to your data. Which is
why you're seeing changes in how you view and manage your information on
Facebook.
You see it. View a summary of information that Facebook receives about your
activity on other apps and websites.
You control it. If you'd like, you can disconnect that information from your
account, and it will not be associated with you personally.
Off-Facebook data can be gathered through cookies, as well as through you
choosing to login to websites and apps using Facebook.
Much of what you do online generates data - such as when you're searching
for holiday destinations or buying a backpack. Occasionally, businesses
share that data with Facebook.
One way that data can be used is to help businesses find the right audience
to show ads for things you might like - such as a deal on backpacks. These
ads are what make most of the Internet available free of charge, including
Facebook.
Now you can see a summary of information Facebook receives about your
activity on other apps and websites. You also have the option to disconnect
it from your account.
If you already have the ability to clear your Facebook history, you can find
it in the iOS app here:
* Hamburger menu, bottom right
* Settings & Privacy
* Settings
* Scroll down to the Your Facebook Information heading
* Tap Off-Facebook Activity
If you don't yet have it, it should be available through a silent update
shortly.
By <https://9to5mac.com/author/benlovejoy/> Ben Lovejoy at:
www.9to5mac.com
