Meta Axes 'Off-Facebook Activity' Tracking

Starting in July, Meta will discontinue its "Off-Facebook Activity" privacy feature, a move impacting users across the US and several other countries. This setting, initially introduced in September 2019, allowed users to disconnect data collected from third-party apps and websites from their accounts, with Meta asserting at the time that user privacy was more important than potential business impact. The company is streamlining its privacy controls by merging this feature with the "Activity from other businesses" setting. While Meta states this change does not involve collecting new data, users will have diminished control over how their off-site activity is used for personalization. Privacy experts like Lena Cohen from the Electronic Frontier Foundation express disappointment, noting that users' control over personal data is being further limited. She recommends using privacy-optimized browsers like Safari or Firefox, disabling ad tracking on mobile devices, and avoiding the use of Facebook accounts for signing into other services. Cohen also emphasizes the importance of advocating for robust data privacy legislation to ensure user control over personal information.