Facebook Experts HELP!

[Charles L. Cotton]

I have a Facebook page that I rarely use. I looked at it today and it and was shocked to see it showed that I "visited PSC and 3 other locations!" How did Facebook get that information? I don't have a Facebook app for iPhone, so I'm at a loss how this information was available to Facebook. This is a burglar's dream; see when homeowners are gone and hit the house.

A more important question is how do I turn this crap off!?

Thanks,
Chas.

[RSJ]

http://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=privacy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Click on "timeline and tagging" and set everything as you wish. By the way I agree with you and have disabled any "tagging" of my location.

[DocV]

Facebook maintains a number of web domain properties, such as fbcdn.net - a facebook content delivery network. Images from these domains are embedded into the web source of many web pages - think of the 'like' button.

Web cookies that your browser collects get updated whenever you visit a site with a facebook-hosted image ( "web bug" ).
Unfortunately, not only facebook engages in this practice. Amazon, Google, and twitter, all have similar tracking capabilities as do many other less-well known companies that focus on advertising delivery or user tracking.

You can reduce your exposure to such tracking in several ways. The easiest of these is to not allow cookies on your computer. Even then, Flash and other content use Long Stored Object (LSOs), "super-cookies" or "flash cookies", that can be stored on your computer without your permission and can be used for longitudinal tracking studies. I do not use flash for this very reason.

Other avoidance methods are possible but are highly technical and can difficult to set-up. Even these methods are prone to data leakages.

Unfortunately, there was never a time when individuals had privacy on the Internet. That should make us all warm and fuzzy when we consider how the Internet has managed to find a place in our phones and cars.

Looking for my tin-foil hat smilie...

[DocV]

http://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=privacy

Click on "timeline and tagging" and set everything as you wish. By the way I agree with you and have disabled any "tagging" of my location.

Actually, you merely have disabled the display of the tracking data, not the collection thereof.

[carlson1]

A more important question is how do I turn this crap off!?

Quote of the year award! I do not nor will I ever have a facebook. I feel for you and I hope someone can come along and help you get it shut down.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Thanks guys, I'll check out the settings. I'd still like to know how Facebook knows I went to PSC Shooting Club and to the courthouse in downtown Houston. I didn't take photos and even if I had, I don't post photos on Facebook.

Chas.

[RottenApple]

Thanks guys, I'll check out the settings. I'd still like to know how Facebook knows I went to PSC Shooting Club and to the courthouse in downtown Houston. I didn't take photos and even if I had, I don't post photos on Facebook.

Chas.

Someone else may have been there, taken a picture of you and tagged you in that picture. It doesn't necessarily mean that you or any of your devices did it. This is why I've got my privacy settings set so that I have to approve any tags and/or any posts to my timeline.

[Keith B]

Are you looking at the map? If so, you were tagged by someone else at PSC, and the other locations are your birth city and two places you lived.

[RSJ]

http://www.facebook.com/settings/?tab=privacy

Click on "timeline and tagging" and set everything as you wish. By the way I agree with you and have disabled any "tagging" of my location.

Actually, you merely have disabled the display of the tracking data, not the collection thereof.

But that solves the immediate threat of people being able to see where Mr. Cotton is physically at (and when away from home!)

[powerboatr]

i went and looked at mine and it said I was in San Antonio????????? haven't been there in over a year

[DocV]

Someone may have posted you were there. Your cell phone may have ratted you out. Or, *groan* a facedeals, or other, camera may have captured your picture.

[Divided Attention]

If you have the facebook app on your phone - check that your "check in" settings are off. It is sometimes hard to keep up with all the "settings!" Good luck!

[92f-fan]

You can reduce your exposure to such tracking in several ways. The easiest of these is to not allow cookies on your computer. Even then, Flash and other content use Long Stored Object (LSOs), "super-cookies" or "flash cookies", that can be stored on your computer without your permission and can be used for longitudinal tracking studies. I do not use flash for this very reason.

SNIP

Looking for my tin-foil hat smilie...

Turning off cookies breaks MANY of the features of MANY web pages like this one.

You can manage flash settings here
http://www.macromedia.com/support/docum ... ger09.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
its an online tool to set your flash security / privacy settings
It will let you see manage and delete the "super cookies" that have been mentioned

Flash is dying thankfully but again - for now - running with NO flash breaks many Sites
You will be surprised to see the sites that are using the "evil" super cookie. Like Foxnews

Tin foil hat aside - 99.9% of the time computers do exactly what we ask of them - we just need to be bright enough to know what we asked and where and hos to change what we ask for

Best choice for ultimate Web security is to simply go off grid and avoid electric powered devices completely since your power meter can now track your activities as well....

[BigGuy]

Good points all, and I understand and agree with doing everything you can to reduce the system's ability to track you. But sadly, at the end of the day privacy is an illusion. You can disable cookies and refuse to use flash, but more and more you'll find that you can't get much done with out them. (Flash is going away in favor of HTML5, but they're still going to track you.)
My wife commented about how you have to remove your glasses now for State ID photos. (DL. CHL. Passport, etc.) You used to have to keep them on. I have absolutely no doubt that is so that facial recognition software can more readily identify you.
Yes, we've all been assured that those cameras on smart traffic lights don't recognize faces. And that may even be true at the moment. But it's a feature easily added. And as sure as the Sun will rise tomorrow, it eventually will be. Even if you turn off all tracking on your Facebook account, all that need to happen is for one of your friends to snap a shot with their smart phone and post it. You're like to be tagged in a photo taken at (pick a location) and have that info on FB within a couple of minutes.
I'm not saying it's OK.I'm not saying to give up. But the problem is a heck of a lot worse than privacy setting on your FB account is going to fix.
When the PATRIOT Act was passed, I was concerned. A lot of folks called me various names and claimed I was "helping the terrorists." Warrantless wiretapping and TSA didn't start with the Dems
I don't have the answers. But I do know it's not as simple a FB setting or voting a party line.

[anygunanywhere]

Good points all, and I understand and agree with doing everything you can to reduce the system's ability to track you. But sadly, at the end of the day privacy is an illusion. You can disable cookies and refuse to use flash, but more and more you'll find that you can't get much done with out them. (Flash is going away in favor of HTML5, but they're still going to track you.)
My wife commented about how you have to remove your glasses now for State ID photos. (DL. CHL. Passport, etc.) You used to have to keep them on. I have absolutely no doubt that is so that facial recognition software can more readily identify you.
Yes, we've all been assured that those cameras on smart traffic lights don't recognize faces. And that may even be true at the moment. But it's a feature easily added. And as sure as the Sun will rise tomorrow, it eventually will be. Even if you turn off all tracking on your Facebook account, all that need to happen is for one of your friends to snap a shot with their smart phone and post it. You're like to be tagged in a photo taken at (pick a location) and have that info on FB within a couple of minutes.
I'm not saying it's OK.I'm not saying to give up. But the problem is a heck of a lot worse than privacy setting on your FB account is going to fix.
When the PATRIOT Act was passed, I was concerned. A lot of folks called me various names and claimed I was "helping the terrorists." Warrantless wiretapping and TSA didn't start with the Dems
I don't have the answers. But I do know it's not as simple a FB setting or voting a party line.

Just because you are paranoid does not mean they are not after you.

Anygunanywhere