{"id":93264,"date":"2018-03-21T14:31:50","date_gmt":"2018-03-21T14:31:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sftarticles.wpenginepowered.com\/en\/?p=93264"},"modified":"2025-07-01T23:35:52","modified_gmt":"2025-07-02T06:35:52","slug":"this-is-how-facebook-spies-on-you-even-if-you-dont-use-facebook","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/this-is-how-facebook-spies-on-you-even-if-you-dont-use-facebook\/","title":{"rendered":"This is how Facebook spies on you even if you don\u2019t use Facebook"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Cambridge Analytica scandal shows that <strong>Facebook has willingly handed over the profile information of over 50 million Facebook users to a gang of ruthless crooks and mercenaries.<\/strong> It is worth remembering, however, that Facebook doesn&#8217;t just gather information from you via your Facebook profile. It has been Facebook&#8217;s modus operandi for years now to gather as much information on you as possible, even if you don&#8217;t use Facebook.<b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;&lt;!-- Shortcode [starred] does not exist --&gt;&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:513,&quot;3&quot;:[null,0],&quot;12&quot;:0}\"><div class=\"sc-card-starred-link\">\r\n  <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__body\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__row clearfix\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__col-logo\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-starred-link__img\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/08\/updates-192.jpg\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\">\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-starred-link__col-title\">\r\n        <p class=\"sc-card-starred-link__title\">All the Best Free Software for your PC<\/p>\r\n        <a class=\"sc-card-starred-link__button\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/all-the-best-free-software-for-your-pc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer sponsored\">Click Here<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a class=\"sc-card-starred-link__link\" href=\"https:\/\/en.softonic.com\/articles\/all-the-best-free-software-for-your-pc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer sponsored\"><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Info from\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/facebooks-onavo-gives-social-media-firm-inside-peek-at-rivals-users-1502622003?mod=e2tw\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Wall Street Journal<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> shows one of the ways that Facebook does just that.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Info that Facebook extracts using this method is so accurate that it\u2019s helped the company make key decisions in recent years, such as buying WhatsApp and\u00a0<\/span><b>copying Snapchat\u2019s Stories feature.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Just so you get the idea, thanks to this method, <\/span><b>Facebook knows how many messages are sent every day from Snapchat<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, its rival.<\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align:center; width:100%; margin:12px 0;\">\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n  google_ad_client = \"ca-pub-8132844949421936\";\r\n  var google_ad_slot = '9677578764';\r\n  if (window.innerWidth <= 470) {\r\n    google_ad_width = 300;\r\n    google_ad_height = 50;\r\n  }\r\n  else if (window.innerWidth < 1360) {\r\n    google_ad_width = 468;\r\n    google_ad_height = 60;\r\n  }\r\n  else {\r\n    google_ad_width = 728;\r\n    google_ad_height = 90;\r\n  }\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"\r\nsrc=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Where does Facebook get this data? <\/span><b>From Onavo Protect, a free <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ebay.com\/sch\/i.html?_from=R40&amp;_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xds.TRS0&amp;_nkw=vpn\"><b>VPN<\/b><\/a><b> app<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> that promises \u201cto keep your data safe when you go online.\u201d Facebook bought its creators, and the app, in 2013.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-93319\" src=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/sft\/articles\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/08\/1366_2000.jpg\" alt=\"1366_2000\" width=\"1000\" height=\"556\" srcset=\"https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/08\/1366_2000.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/08\/1366_2000-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/08\/1366_2000-768x427.jpg 768w, https:\/\/articles-img.sftcdn.net\/auto-mapping-folder\/sites\/3\/2017\/08\/1366_2000-304x170.jpg 304w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The app is available for both <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.onavo.spaceship\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Android<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/app\/onavo\/id577491499\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">IOS<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, and has already been downloaded by an estimated <\/span><b>24 million users.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to sources that know the system behind the app, every time somebody connects to Onavo Protect from his\/her cell phone, <\/span><b>Onavo redirects traffic to Facebook\u2019s servers. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This person\u2019s browsing details are stored in a database that a Facebook team later analyzes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;&lt;!-- Shortcode [program] does not exist --&gt;&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:513,&quot;3&quot;:[null,0],&quot;12&quot;:0}\"><div class=\"sc-card-program\">\r\n  <div class=\"sc-card-program__body\">\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row clearfix\">\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-logo\">\r\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__img\" alt=\"Reddit: The Official App\" src=\"https:\/\/images.sftcdn.net\/images\/t_optimized,f_auto\/p\/b31a7bd0-a4f9-11e6-8597-00163ec9f5fa\/3868702849\/reddit-the-official-app-logo.png\" width=\"100px\" height=\"100px\">\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-title\">\r\n        <span class=\"sc-card-program__title\">Reddit: The Official App<\/span>\r\n        <a class=\"sc-card-program__button sc-card-program-internal\" href=\"https:\/\/reddit-the-official-app.en.softonic.com\/android\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Download Now<\/a>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"sc-card-program__col-rating\">\r\n        <svg class=\"rating-score__content\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.1\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\" viewbox=\"0 0 50 50\" enable-background=\"new 0 0 50 50\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><path class=\"rating-score__background rating-score--good\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><path class=\"rating-score__value rating-score__value--80\" fill=\"none\" stroke-width=\"6\" stroke-dashoffset=\"80\" stroke-miterlimit=\"10\" d=\"M40 40c8.3-8.3 8.3-21.7 0-30s-21.7-8.3-30 0 -8.3 21.7 0 30\"><\/path><text class=\"rating-score__number\" content=\"8\" text-anchor=\"middle\" transform=\"matrix(1 0 0 1 25 31.0837)\" data-auto=\"app-user-score\">8<\/text><\/svg>\r\n      <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <span class=\"sc-card-program__description\"><\/span>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <div class=\"sc-card-program__row\">\r\n      <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"sc-card-program__bigpic\" src=\"\" onerror=\"this.style.display='none'\">\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <a class=\"sc-card-program__link track-link sc-card-program-internal\" href=\"https:\/\/reddit-the-official-app.en.softonic.com\/android\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><\/a>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n<\/div><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">According to typical terms and conditions of use, Onavo claims to \u201canalyze information from your cell phone data and app usage\u201d and that it may share this information with its \u201caffiliates.\u201d <\/span><b>But nobody reads the fine print.<\/b><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align:center; width:100%; margin:12px 0;\">\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n  google_ad_client = \"ca-pub-8132844949421936\";\r\n  var google_ad_slot = '9677578764';\r\n  if (window.innerWidth <= 470) {\r\n    google_ad_width = 300;\r\n    google_ad_height = 50;\r\n  }\r\n  else if (window.innerWidth < 1360) {\r\n    google_ad_width = 468;\r\n    google_ad_height = 60;\r\n  }\r\n  else {\r\n    google_ad_width = 728;\r\n    google_ad_height = 90;\r\n  }\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\"\r\nsrc=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\">\r\n<\/script>\r\n<\/div>\n<p><b>Facebook hasn\u2019t commented on\u00a0this. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">However, this method would explain how the company knew of Snapchat Stories&#8217;s big impact long before Snapchat published the results.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Source: <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/life-style\/gadgets-and-tech\/news\/facebook-know-smartphones-activity-what-do-not-use-social-network-account-media-privacy-security-a7892761.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Independent<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This article was originally published in August but has since been updated.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Cambridge Analytica scandal shows that Facebook has willingly handed over the profile information of over 50 million Facebook users to a gang of ruthless crooks and mercenaries. It is worth remembering, however, that Facebook doesn&#8217;t just gather information from you via your Facebook profile. It has been Facebook&#8217;s modus operandi for years now to &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/this-is-how-facebook-spies-on-you-even-if-you-dont-use-facebook\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;This is how Facebook spies on you even if you don\u2019t use Facebook&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2057,"featured_media":93317,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","wpcf-pageviews":1},"categories":[2441],"tags":[2353],"usertag":[],"vertical":[],"content-category":[],"class_list":["post-93264","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","tag-app-subdomain-redirectionfacebook"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93264","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2057"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93264"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93264\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":328156,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93264\/revisions\/328156"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/93317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93264"},{"taxonomy":"usertag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/usertag?post=93264"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=93264"},{"taxonomy":"content-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cms-articles.softonic.io\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content-category?post=93264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}