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Link to the actual Consumer Reports report: https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/privacy/each-facebook-user-is-monitored-by-thousands-of-companies-a58242

Link to the actual Consumer Reports report: https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/privacy/each-facebook-user-is-monitored-by-thousands-of-companies-a5824207467/ https://www.consumerreports.org/electronics/privacy/each-fac... So most of the data provided is probably coming in via the FB tracking pixel. I think the references to FB's "custom audiences" is a red herring - it's a very manual process and very few companies use that feature in any sort of scale. FB hashes the data that gets uploaded and specifically throws out extraneous data that does not help it make matches with its existing data set: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/2082575038703844?id=2469097953376494 https://www.facebook.com/business/help/2082575038703844?id=2... Love this note at the bottom: "Editor’s Note: Consumer Reports has a business relationship with LiveRamp and another data broker, Acxiom. Consumer Reports shares data with each of these companies in order to help support its mission."

jklinger410 3y ago
Consumer Reports themselves have 12 unique data trackers on their site, including the Facebook pixel. And just to be clear about the usage of the term "Monitored" here. They mean that data tracking pixels are sending anonymized data between META and all of these companies. Not a soul at META or any company with that pixel installed are aware of any PII or even, in most cases, cognizant of your specific session on their site.
goenning 3y ago
I guess FB tracking pixels will no longer work when third-party cookies are removed from browsers. That seems like a massive hit for them if I understand it correctly (and a big W for us)
- spcebar 3y ago
  There's a server side implementation FB offers developers to circumvent some privacy restrictions now being enforced by browsers which doesn't have all the features of the clientside version but is their current workaround. It will improve privacy slightly, but some websites are still gathering as much information about you as possible over the course of a session to try and build demographic information and remarket to you.
  - dmarti 3y ago
    Yes, Facebook Conversions API is server-to-server, so it circumvents the privacy settings and tools on mobile platform or browser. https://www.facebook.com/business/help/2041148702652965?id=818859032317965 https://www.facebook.com/business/help/2041148702652965?id=8... Research using a browser extension or web proxy can't see CAPI tracking.
- legitster 3y ago
  Yes and no. FB's tracking pixel can be both first and third party: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/471978536642445?id=1205376682832142 https://www.facebook.com/business/help/471978536642445?id=12... Getting rid of third-party support will mean FB doesn't get anonymous data from random website users - but if you are logged into FB or hit the page from a FB link, it would still be trackable as a first-party cookie.
  - andirk 3y ago
    Don't tracking pixels also work without cookies or Javascript though? If you have an `<img src="example.com/someTrackingPixel.gif">` on your website or app, the server that houses that URL gets a ton of info on you from the HTTP request header data. Less useful without the cookie but still something.
    - legitster 3y ago
      Yeah but if they can't associate that activity with a record reliably then it's just noise.
      - dylan604 3y ago
        are we really not that identifiable with all of the fingerprinting techniques and what not? the majority of people do not use VPNs to cover their tracks, and most home ISPs don't rotate their IPs that frequently that my tin foil hat suggests that for the non-techie person attempting to foil the IDing, they're IDing them.
        legitster 3y ago
        Most browser "fingerprinting" methods have a pretty short half-life. The last assessment I read said something like half of the fingerprints were lost within 24 hours. There are some companies that advertise device fingerprinting for moderation/anti-abuse services, but I have yet to see it in any martech stack. I assume they give lots of false positives and don't distinguish between different users/devices on the same network.
legitster 3y ago
Update: Having poked around my own FB privacy report, Consumer Reports is clearly using the data available in the "Advertisers using your activity or information" report. There are a ton of random companies on here, but it's important to note that this is NOT data being sent to FB as the report implies. This particular report is just the number of times I have been matched to an uploaded list - the uploading company already had my contact information, and they were able to add me to an ad campaign. FB doesn't bring in new data via these match requests, and they really don't share information with advertisers outside of how many matches they got.
- hedora 3y ago
  How is “they sent facebook a list with my name on it, and facebook showed me their records showing I was on their list” compatible with the statement “this is NOT data being sent to FB”?!?
  - re 3y ago
    https://www.facebook.com/help/794535777607370#custom https://www.facebook.com/help/794535777607370#custom > Advertisers may get information from you (like your email address) when you interact with them outside of Facebook, like if you make a purchase in their store or create an account for a rewards program. They can create a hashed list with that information and upload it to Facebook. We can match users using the list to help the advertiser reach people who may be interested in their business and without Facebook learning any new identifying information about you.
    - josephg 3y ago
      Well, if a shoe company sends my email address to Facebook because I’m their customer and they want to advertise to me on platform, Facebook has learned new information about my purchasing behaviour. I’m not sure what else Facebook does with that information. I wouldn’t be surprised if they use it and send me ads for shoes from other companies.
      - 3y ago
RaftPeople 3y ago
> I think the references to FB's "custom audiences" is a red herring - it's a very manual process and very few companies use that feature in any sort of scale. My experience is that "custom audiences" is a typical/normal usage. Companies that use platforms like Adobe Experience Platform (AEP) create their marketing segments (sets of targeted customers or prospects) in AEP and send those identifiers (e.g. hashed email) to various destinations including Facebook (via "custom audiences").
dang 3y ago
Thanks - I think we can change to that link from https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/17/24041897/facebook-meta-targeted-advertising-data-mining-study-privacy https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/17/24041897/facebook-meta-ta... and have done so now.
Krasnol 3y ago
> it's a very manual process and very few companies use that feature in any sort of scale Is it because it's manual? Since all those data collections which has been to be used manual are slowly turning into training data for models atm.

jklinger410 3y ago

Consumer Reports themselves have 12 unique data trackers on their site, including the Facebook pixel. And just to be clear about the usage of the term "Monitored" here. They mean that data tracking pixels are sending anonymized data between META and all of these companies. Not a soul at META or any company with that pixel installed are aware of any PII or even, in most cases, cognizant of your specific session on their site.

goenning 3y ago

I guess FB tracking pixels will no longer work when third-party cookies are removed from browsers. That seems like a massive hit for them if I understand it correctly (and a big W for us)

spcebar 3y ago
There's a server side implementation FB offers developers to circumvent some privacy restrictions now being enforced by browsers which doesn't have all the features of the clientside version but is their current workaround. It will improve privacy slightly, but some websites are still gathering as much information about you as possible over the course of a session to try and build demographic information and remarket to you.
- dmarti 3y ago
  Yes, Facebook Conversions API is server-to-server, so it circumvents the privacy settings and tools on mobile platform or browser. https://www.facebook.com/business/help/2041148702652965?id=818859032317965 https://www.facebook.com/business/help/2041148702652965?id=8... Research using a browser extension or web proxy can't see CAPI tracking.
legitster 3y ago
Yes and no. FB's tracking pixel can be both first and third party: https://www.facebook.com/business/help/471978536642445?id=1205376682832142 https://www.facebook.com/business/help/471978536642445?id=12... Getting rid of third-party support will mean FB doesn't get anonymous data from random website users - but if you are logged into FB or hit the page from a FB link, it would still be trackable as a first-party cookie.
- andirk 3y ago
  Don't tracking pixels also work without cookies or Javascript though? If you have an `<img src="example.com/someTrackingPixel.gif">` on your website or app, the server that houses that URL gets a ton of info on you from the HTTP request header data. Less useful without the cookie but still something.
  - legitster 3y ago
    Yeah but if they can't associate that activity with a record reliably then it's just noise.
    - dylan604 3y ago
      are we really not that identifiable with all of the fingerprinting techniques and what not? the majority of people do not use VPNs to cover their tracks, and most home ISPs don't rotate their IPs that frequently that my tin foil hat suggests that for the non-techie person attempting to foil the IDing, they're IDing them.
      - legitster 3y ago
        Most browser "fingerprinting" methods have a pretty short half-life. The last assessment I read said something like half of the fingerprints were lost within 24 hours. There are some companies that advertise device fingerprinting for moderation/anti-abuse services, but I have yet to see it in any martech stack. I assume they give lots of false positives and don't distinguish between different users/devices on the same network.

legitster 3y ago

Update: Having poked around my own FB privacy report, Consumer Reports is clearly using the data available in the "Advertisers using your activity or information" report. There are a ton of random companies on here, but it's important to note that this is NOT data being sent to FB as the report implies. This particular report is just the number of times I have been matched to an uploaded list - the uploading company already had my contact information, and they were able to add me to an ad campaign. FB doesn't bring in new data via these match requests, and they really don't share information with advertisers outside of how many matches they got.

hedora 3y ago
How is “they sent facebook a list with my name on it, and facebook showed me their records showing I was on their list” compatible with the statement “this is NOT data being sent to FB”?!?
- re 3y ago
  https://www.facebook.com/help/794535777607370#custom https://www.facebook.com/help/794535777607370#custom > Advertisers may get information from you (like your email address) when you interact with them outside of Facebook, like if you make a purchase in their store or create an account for a rewards program. They can create a hashed list with that information and upload it to Facebook. We can match users using the list to help the advertiser reach people who may be interested in their business and without Facebook learning any new identifying information about you.
  - josephg 3y ago
    Well, if a shoe company sends my email address to Facebook because I’m their customer and they want to advertise to me on platform, Facebook has learned new information about my purchasing behaviour. I’m not sure what else Facebook does with that information. I wouldn’t be surprised if they use it and send me ads for shoes from other companies.
    - 3y ago

RaftPeople 3y ago

> I think the references to FB's "custom audiences" is a red herring - it's a very manual process and very few companies use that feature in any sort of scale. My experience is that "custom audiences" is a typical/normal usage. Companies that use platforms like Adobe Experience Platform (AEP) create their marketing segments (sets of targeted customers or prospects) in AEP and send those identifiers (e.g. hashed email) to various destinations including Facebook (via "custom audiences").

dang 3y ago

Thanks - I think we can change to that link from https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/17/24041897/facebook-meta-targeted-advertising-data-mining-study-privacy https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/17/24041897/facebook-meta-ta... and have done so now.

Krasnol 3y ago

> it's a very manual process and very few companies use that feature in any sort of scale Is it because it's manual? Since all those data collections which has been to be used manual are slowly turning into training data for models atm.