Experts Criticize New Facebook Privacy Tool For “Falling Short”

Earlier this week, Facebook began to roll out its long-awaited “Off-Facebook Activity” feature that allows users to see how the social media giant is tracking them around the web. Previously known as a “clear history” function, the new tool also gives users the ability to disconnect their Facebook account from their online browsing history so Facebook can’t target advertising. But while there’s no doubt that this tool is a net positive, some experts have already expressed concern that it doesn’t go far enough.

According to analysts for SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, an investment banking organization, the Off-Facebook Activity tool “appears to fall somewhat short of the original pledge by CEO Zuckerberg of empowering users to ‘flush their history whenever they want,’ and delete all the relevant data.”

“Requiring users to go through settings options to make changes to their privacy likely increases friction enough to discourage and limit mass adoption of the new tool, in our view,” the analysts continued.

Indeed, the feature isn’t quite everything it’s cracked up to be. If users decide to opt out of having their activity tracked, Facebook doesn’t actually delete the data. Instead, it merely “disassociates” your info from your account. So while this tool is definitely a step in the right direction, Facebook still has a long way to go to strengthen its privacy policies.




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