The recent study by Consumer Reports has unearthed a staggering level of data tracking on Facebook users, with some being tracked by as many as 7,000 companies. This massive-scale surveillance was revealed through the participation of 709 volunteers who shared their Facebook data archives. The findings were shocking: a total of 186,892 different companies had sent user data to Facebook. On average, each participant’s data was shared by 2,230 companies, showcasing an extensive web of surveillance that goes far beyond our imagination.
The study sheds light on server-to-server tracking, a less visible yet equally intrusive method of data transfer from a company’s servers directly to Meta’s servers. This practice occurs alongside the more familiar tracking through Meta pixels on websites. Emil Vazquez, a spokesperson for Meta, owned by Mark Zuckerberg, defended their data practices, yet Consumer Reports highlighted issues with Meta’s transparency tools, including unclear provider identities and companies often ignoring user opt-out requests.
Alarmingly, the data broker LiveRamp was present in the data of 96% of study participants, underscoring its vast reach in the data-sharing ecosystem. Furthermore, the study revealed that data sharing isn’t limited to obscure brokers but includes major retailers like Home Depot, Macy’s, Walmart, and others, including Amazon, Etsy, and PayPal. LiveRamp, however, did not comment on this.
The data collected fell into two categories: “events” and “custom audiences.” The latter involves advertising companies uploading customer lists to Meta for targeted advertising, while ‘events’ describe interactions like website visits or purchases, tracked through Meta’s software in apps, pixels on websites, and server-to-server tracking.
This revelation is a wake-up call about the extent of online surveillance. Caitriona Fitzgerald from the Electronic Privacy Information Center voiced concerns about this hidden tracking, stating it’s far beyond what internet users expect. Users don’t anticipate that Meta would have information about their physical store visits or online reading habits. This study emphasizes the need for greater transparency and user control over personal data in the digital age.
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