It ’s no secret that Facebook is privy to swarm of data about you . Every click , scroll , Like , and television you watch in your News Feed is cut through and neatly file away by Zuckerberg & Co. in an effort to serve up content andads that are ( hopefully ) relevant to you . But what you may not realise is that Facebook is also sharply monitoring your smartphone ’s emplacement data point , using it not only to geo - target ads and give advertisers intel , but also to evoke " People You May Know " based on who you ’re around .
What elaborate algorithms does Facebook use to suggest " People You May Know " ? The company is notoriously tight - lipped as tohow your Tinder matchesand other randos end up in there – acknowledging only that it testify you the great unwashed based on common protagonist , work and shoal info , phone contacts , and " many other factors . "
Butthanks to a recent Fusion story , Facebook take to something many have long mistrust : simply being in the samelocationas someone else could land them among your suggested friends .
Rachel Kuzma/Thrillist
As Facebook notes , localization info is just one of the " many other factor " it uses , but it surely explain why your coffee shop barista or that womanhood from your spin division start up in there . This admittance ( whichit ’s since mysteriously and sketchily walk back ) has plainly terrifying implication – what if you ’re somewhere you ’re , um , not say to be , or somewhere where privacy and anonymity is predominate ?
Along withgeo - targeting adsto specifically show you products and services in your straightaway neighbourhood , late report reveal thatthe company ’s started trailing which storage you visit(so as to let advertisers know if their on-line ads are function ) .
The good news show is that you still have the power to keep Facebook out of your line of work by disabling its access to Location Services . To restrict the app from harnessing your location data for any purpose whatsoever , manoeuver toSettings > secrecy > Location Services > Facebook and select Never , then go forth and decide for yourself which strangers you might want to friend .
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