{"id":6974,"date":"2018-03-27T11:54:42","date_gmt":"2018-03-27T10:54:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adambowie.com\/?p=6974"},"modified":"2018-03-27T14:18:09","modified_gmt":"2018-03-27T13:18:09","slug":"facebook-pixel-tracking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adambowie.com\/blog\/2018\/03\/facebook-pixel-tracking\/","title":{"rendered":"Facebook Pixel Tracking"},"content":{"rendered":"

This morning Nieman Lab had a really good piece<\/a> asking whether if there was a certain amount of hypocrisy coming from certain news organisations castigating Facebook for leaking data, when at the same time they’re helping Facebook collect more data on you.<\/p>\n

Recall yesterday<\/a>, when I said that some of Facebook’s data was missing from the download, and I highlighted Facebook Pixel<\/a>? Quora is a good place to go and have a look<\/a> (Note: Quora itself has a Facebook cookie):<\/p>\n

The pixel is a transparent, 1×1, unique image file that can be embedded on pages outside of Facebook (unique = 1 per advertiser account). That image file, however, sits on Facebook servers. So, each time it is loaded, it increments counters on Facebook’s side.<\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

And each time the pixel file is being seen by a user… Facebook servers can see which browser is used, which machine and which IP address. In other words, they are able to reconstruct that signature – they know which Facebook user has seen the pixel.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In essence, the Facebook Pixel lets you then target people who visit your site when they’re back on Facebook. And of course, Facebook now knows that you’ve visited a particular site, deepening the picture they hold on you.<\/p>\n

And Facebook also has the Facebook Audience Network<\/a>, which basically extends Facebook’s advertising business beyond the bounds of the Facebook website. In particular, they’re targeting mobile sites and apps.<\/p>\n

Using the EFF’s excellent Privacy Badger<\/a> browser plugin, I looked at some of the UK and US’s biggest news websites to see which ones allow Facebook to track you. This obviously isn’t a comprehensive list, but it gives you an idea.<\/p>\n

Sites with Facebook Cookies<\/strong><\/p>\n