Settings, browsers and more
Fortunately, most people set their profiles to private, thus making it virtually impossible for unwanted people to acquire your information without sending a friend request. However, not only other users can be dangerous, but the social media site itself as well. Therefore, in order to stay under the radars of Facebook, you better follow the advice below.
One such advice is to choose a proper browser. Chrome, one of the most popular browsers might seem a good solution, but remember: it is Google’s product. Considering this, Firefox is actually a better pick, since its open source software prevents any developers, including Mozilla itself, from installing hidden trackers. Another fine choice is the underdog Opera, as it features an embedded VPN that can be easily turned on from the browser’s settings without requiring any further software installation.
However, regardless of your choice, make sure to set the browser’s settings to automatically delete all your browsing history, cookies, login details etc. when you close your browser. Aside from that, one of the best ways to avoid being spied by Facebook is avoiding surfing online while having your profile open. This is especially important since not only Facebook can see what pages you visit, how much time you spend on them and what you searched, but they can chase your online trail to bombard you with targeted ads.
VPNs
Unfortunately, fine-tuning your Facebook privacy settings and choosing the browser that respects your privacy the most are not enough. To perfectly hide from the company’s spying eyes, you better enable a VPN too. This special software, which can be installed on your computer or mobile device, will scramble and encrypt your data, plus attributes a different IP address to you. This way it becomes pretty much impossible for anyone to pinpoint your real location and link your online behavior to your personal Facebook profile. Furthermore, one of the best features many VPNs offer is ad-blockers which prevent you from getting the aforementioned targeted advertisements or being bombarded by pop-ups carrying all sorts of malware. These ad-blockers often act as extra add-ons in your browser or they can also work from the VPN client itself, protecting your entire computer.
Leo S.
Sander D.
