Block Facebook from tracking your online behavior


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Was really annoyed to read a newspost a while back that showed Facebook was actively tracking all of its users who visit other sites that contain a "Like" button.

Even if you don't "Like" anything on that site, the data is still stored alongside your profile (for ad targeting and who knows what else?).

You can block Facebook from displaying any Like buttons or Facebook widgets by using AdBlock Plus

Of course I have Neowin whitelisted, so Facebook Like buttons and widgets DO display here (for me) but it gives you more control on what Facebook can track, and imo this should be an opt out option anyway.

Using Adblock Plus for Firefox, to block these items, just add the following two lines to the Adblock rules: (in Preferences)

http://www.facebook.com/external/*

http://www.facebook.com/plugins/*

Now all Facebook content won't display on sites you have blacklisted.

Please remember, if you value Neowin, please whitelist us so that our ads display, we never allow or use pop up/unders!

Of course this applies to Firefox, but for Chrome follow the same steps in Ad Muncher or whatever extension you use.

  • Like 3

It may be simpler to subscribe to one of the privacy lists instead without blocking ads altogether. It'll block Facebook's tracking as well as many others. There's EasyPrivacy and Fanboy's Tracking List.

It may be simpler to subscribe to one of the privacy lists instead without blocking ads altogether. It'll block Facebook's tracking as well as many others. There's EasyPrivacy and Fanboy's Tracking List.

There is also Adversity anti-social list which is specifically catered to block social media outside their own websites.

I didn't think that protected you from websites seeing what you are doing. Just didn't store history, etc..

It doesn't even do that, it just deletes whatever you were doing in that window when it's closed. (It needs to keep cookies and history temporarily for sites and the back/forward buttons to work)

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 year later...

for chrome, there is an extension aimed just to block social media site tracking. its called facebook disconnect:

link: https://chrome.googl...giibghpglaidiec

Yes, it works for firefox too and there's one for google and twitter too, works very well.

(Only downside to the google one is it blocks ALL google sites, including those that just host files and javascript includes, so I have to disable it for a number of sites)

Well, guys, I've been able to prevent Facebook from telling people that I've read their messages on Chrome! :p

http://crossrider.co...chat-undetected

thanks for the link.

did anyone else notice this thread was resurrected from 2011 though?

:rofl:

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