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I had a minimal Facebook account that I wasn’t really using, so I deleted it. Before deleting, I downloaded the third party vendors that Facebook shared data wi

I had a minimal Facebook account that I wasn’t really using, so I deleted it. Before deleting, I downloaded the third party vendors that Facebook shared data with and was shocked. I almost am never logged in to Facebook and yet here was Home Depot, the company I get face wash from, etc all linked back to my account somehow, and I had no idea.

CubsFan1060 6y ago
Interesting. How do you get that information?
- philk10 6y ago
  probably using this FB tool -https://techcrunch.com/2020/01/28/all-users-can-now-access-facebooks-tool-for-controlling-which-apps-and-sites-can-share-data-for-ad-targeting/ https://techcrunch.com/2020/01/28/all-users-can-now-access-f...
ben_w 6y ago
Are there any other stores near you that you could’ve used instead of Home Depot? The reason I’m suggesting in your particular case that this might have been a lucky guess rather than invasive Detective-Sherlock-type inference is that when I did the same to Twitter, I discovered that they thought I was interested in soccer (I’m not) and three languages I don’t speak and have never attempted to learn.
- hungryforcodes 6y ago
  It wouldn't have made a difference. The problem is pervasive. I looked at my list on Facebook of the same data and also was shocked. It was hard for me to find websites I HADN'T visited. The most disturbing were entries for when I visited my online bank. What my bank needs to report to Facebook is a mystery to me.
- violetgarden 6y ago
  That’s true! Some might be lucky. The face wash brand I use is pretty distinctive and not sold everywhere, and that was on the report, so I feel like there is a lot of truth in the products being linked back to me.
netsharc 6y ago
I use 1 email address for most online services (Facebook, and online shops), and I'm pretty sure the shops used my e-mail to look up my "ad profile" on FB. I wonder if they match people through other ways, like name and ZIP code (with Facebook knowing your ZIP code through harvesting your location through their mobile apps), or even more sinisterly, if a friend uploaded their address book to Facebook/WhatsApp, and said friend has conveniently organized their address book to link your name and phone number to your Facebook profile -- the same phone number you gave Home Depot..
gumby 6y ago
> so I deleted it I wonder if FB actually deleted it. FB, LinkedIn, etc maintain profiles of non-users as well, both to sell ads off property and, ahem, “to provide a better experience for new members”. I think very few people realize that those “share” buttons on websites provide tracking info to the respective sites simply by exposing them.
tomcam 6y ago
I think the more important question is... Home Deopt for face wash?
- cactus2093 6y ago
  the etc implies this is a list of 2 different companies, I don't think he buys face wash from home depot
  - violetgarden 6y ago
    No no, I use sandpaper. So much cheaper than other exfoliating washes. But yes, I did mean to imply two different companies.
    - tomcam 6y ago
      Humor was intended but I really did want to know. Sometimes English syntax is ridiculous and I can be annoyingly concrete in my thinking.
  - tomcam 6y ago
    I am an idiot and actually took it at face value I’m sorry to say

CubsFan1060 6y ago

Interesting. How do you get that information?

philk10 6y ago
probably using this FB tool -https://techcrunch.com/2020/01/28/all-users-can-now-access-facebooks-tool-for-controlling-which-apps-and-sites-can-share-data-for-ad-targeting/ https://techcrunch.com/2020/01/28/all-users-can-now-access-f...

ben_w 6y ago

Are there any other stores near you that you could’ve used instead of Home Depot? The reason I’m suggesting in your particular case that this might have been a lucky guess rather than invasive Detective-Sherlock-type inference is that when I did the same to Twitter, I discovered that they thought I was interested in soccer (I’m not) and three languages I don’t speak and have never attempted to learn.

hungryforcodes 6y ago
It wouldn't have made a difference. The problem is pervasive. I looked at my list on Facebook of the same data and also was shocked. It was hard for me to find websites I HADN'T visited. The most disturbing were entries for when I visited my online bank. What my bank needs to report to Facebook is a mystery to me.
violetgarden 6y ago
That’s true! Some might be lucky. The face wash brand I use is pretty distinctive and not sold everywhere, and that was on the report, so I feel like there is a lot of truth in the products being linked back to me.

netsharc 6y ago

I use 1 email address for most online services (Facebook, and online shops), and I'm pretty sure the shops used my e-mail to look up my "ad profile" on FB. I wonder if they match people through other ways, like name and ZIP code (with Facebook knowing your ZIP code through harvesting your location through their mobile apps), or even more sinisterly, if a friend uploaded their address book to Facebook/WhatsApp, and said friend has conveniently organized their address book to link your name and phone number to your Facebook profile -- the same phone number you gave Home Depot..

gumby 6y ago

> so I deleted it I wonder if FB actually deleted it. FB, LinkedIn, etc maintain profiles of non-users as well, both to sell ads off property and, ahem, “to provide a better experience for new members”. I think very few people realize that those “share” buttons on websites provide tracking info to the respective sites simply by exposing them.

tomcam 6y ago

I think the more important question is... Home Deopt for face wash?

cactus2093 6y ago
the etc implies this is a list of 2 different companies, I don't think he buys face wash from home depot
- violetgarden 6y ago
  No no, I use sandpaper. So much cheaper than other exfoliating washes. But yes, I did mean to imply two different companies.
  - tomcam 6y ago
    Humor was intended but I really did want to know. Sometimes English syntax is ridiculous and I can be annoyingly concrete in my thinking.
- tomcam 6y ago
  I am an idiot and actually took it at face value I’m sorry to say