By Allison Keyes, WTOP.com
WASHINGTON — You already know Facebook is tracking you, but you likely have no idea how closely.
When you agree to a friend’s request to join little games such as Vegas-type slots, you’re giving that third-party app access to your profile, as well as permission to pull pretty much any information they want. But USA Today contributor Kim Komando says there’s an easy fix for that.
“To edit settings for any Facebook app you’ve installed, head over to Settings, click on Apps and make changes by clicking the pencil icon,” Komando writes for USA Today.
The big database hacks that have made news in the past year or so are targeting everything from large retailers to the databases where these third-party companies store the information they’ve gathered. Komando notes that not every app developer has good security, so your information is potentially at risk.
She says people should review and edit apps they have installed via Facebook and check what they are doing. For instance, Skype pulls your public profile information along with your list of friends, email address, birthday and hometown.
Another potential problem, is logging onto websites via Facebook, which allows that company to track you. If you don’t want to be tracked, Komando writes: “it’s simple. Don’t use them!”
But if you must use such a website, she suggests trying to log on anonymously or as a guest.
Komando says the apps your friends install can also cause problems — by default, they have permission to grab whatever you and your friends can see.
“You can edit them by going into Settings and clicking on Apps Others Use,” Komando writes, “uncheck every option listed on the page, then click Save.”
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For more information, see the full story at USA Today.
