Here's Why You Keep Getting Those Ads From Your Favorite Stores + Websites on Facebook
Picture this: You're on Facebook and you're mindlessly scrolling through your feed. Maybe you're checking the pages of your favorite K-dramas or you know, trying to see what's been going on in your friends' lives. Suddenly, you see an ad for that cute pair of earrings na matagal mo nang gusto i-*add to cart*. It's as if Facebook just ~knows~ you. The truth is, they kinda do and they have a specific tool to know you even better.
If you've ever wondered why you always see ads from the online stores and websites you visit while you're scrolling on Facebook, it's because of the social network's Off-Facebook Activity tool. According to their Help Centre, it's a "summary of activity that businesses and organizations share with us about your interactions, such as visiting their apps or websites. They use our Business Tools, like Facebook Login or Facebook Pixel, to share this information with us."
So every time you open an app, log into an app through Facebook, search for an item, add an item to your shopping cart, and purchase an item, businesses and organizations track these "interactions" and share this data with Facebook. From this info, Facebook will ~personalize~ your experience, which explains why you see more relevant ads, specifically ones that they feel you'd be interested in. Here's a basic explanation of how it works:
And while this can be helpful for businesses and organizations, something about it feels kinda...off. I mean, your every move even outside Facebook is being tracked and used as data? If this is something that makes you feel uneasy, there's a way to disconnect your Off-Facebook Activity from your account. Keep reading and follow these steps below:
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Go to Settings.
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Scroll down until you see "Your Facebook Information." Select "Off-Facebook Activity."
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Here you'll see all the websites and apps that have shared your activity with Facebook. To disconnect, tap "Clear History."
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Once you're done, go back and manage your future Off-Facebook Activity settings by tapping "More Options."
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Select "Manage Future Activity."
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Disable the "Future Off-Facebook Activity" toggle.
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It will display this prompt below. Select "Turn Off."
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This story originally appeared on Cosmo.ph.
* Minor edits have been made by the Candymag.com editors.
