Internet/Facebook/shopping tracking

[RTLH]

Everytime I now by something all of a sudden I am getting ads on my facebook page to revisit this store, try these stores as they have similar products or checkout these insurance companies afer I had a claim. Its getting like everytime I buy something facebook now knows.
Thing is I don't even give them my email and when I do it is a secondary email account that I rarely use (not associated with my FB account).
How the heck are they tracking now tracking me?

 

[PSUSignore]

Internet cookies is one way. You can disable them in your web browser if you'd like. If you want to be overly cautious you should disable cookies, only use incognito/private browsers, and you can install an ad blocker.

 

[Sproul]

It's your cookies. It's a pain in the ass to completely block them, but you can use an ad-blocker.

 

[RTLH]

It's your cookies. It's a pain in the ass to completely block them, but you can use an ad-blocker.

That's all fine and dandy it's not like my email gets flooded. Don't hang on Facebook a whole lot. So what if I block it. I am still being tracked.

 

[michnittlion]

Facebook has SOOOOOOOOOOOO much data on folk.

Which will be useful when Sheryl Sandberg runs for President in 2024.

 

[mmp121]

Start doing all your web browsing (or purchasing) in Incognito Mode (Chrome) or Private (FF). Or if you feel up for it, and are confidant in your PC skills, you can configure your web browser to clear its history and cookies every time you close your browser (which should achieve the same effect of Incognito / Private mode).

You can also enable the 'Do Not Track' feature (if your browser supports its). Also install your ad blocker of choice (again if your browser supports it).

If you want to go total privacy crazy, you can look up TOR TAILS, and use that. TOR TAILS is an entire OS that fits on a CD or small USB/SD card and requires NO local storage other than the device (CD/USB/SD card) you put the OS on. Everything lives in RAM. Once you power it down or restart, its as if you are starting with a brand new OS, with zero history of anything you did. You can NOT install anything on it, and on top of that it uses the TOR network to anonymize your activity on the internet.

TLR If you want to be remain anonymous on the internet like John Snowden use TOR TAILS.

 

[Wallace Breen]

There is little you can do about ads. The amount of data sharing among companies is scary but, there are some things you can do to minimize. As mmp noted, you can use incognito mode and select 'do not share'. This isn't particularly effective as participation in most places is voluntary. A couple things. You can create an email account specifically for online shopping/registration etc. Make sure you name is not visable. This is easy in gmail. You still have to give them a name but it doesn't have to be signed on emails. Use your initials instead. This will limit the ability of companies to link names to your Facebook account. I would also highly recommend using Firefox as your web-browser of choice and install adblock plus (Google it) and subscribe to "easylist". This will largely make sure you don't see them even when they come through.

 

[MtNittany]

I've discussed retail products on my cell phone w/ friends in the past only to come home and find ads for such products show up on FB and Gmail. I make my living off of google adwords, and think that any small business that doesn't use them are simply out of their minds. That said, google and facebook are two super creepy organizations.

 

[Brad908]

How is Facebook "creepy"? They take exactly what you give them. I used to work there and it baffles my mind on the conspiracy theories people come up with.

 

[MtNittany]

How is Facebook "creepy"? ...I used to work there...

Hmmm...

 

[Peetz Pool Boy]

Facebook and Linked-in are scary. Very few of us read the fine print in the contract before hitting "accept". Both sites read into your computer far deeper than mere "contacts" or "cookies".

 

[Brad908]

Hmmm...

Maybe people that don't grasp internet in 2016 find it creepy. But anyone with a basic sense of internet technology knows exactly what is going on.

Again, they take what you give them.

 

[Michael.Felli]

Everytime I now by something all of a sudden I am getting ads on my facebook page to revisit this store, try these stores as they have similar products or checkout these insurance companies afer I had a claim. Its getting like everytime I buy something facebook now knows.
Thing is I don't even give them my email and when I do it is a secondary email account that I rarely use (not associated with my FB account).
How the heck are they tracking now tracking me?

 

[dwiz]

How is Facebook "creepy"? They take exactly what you give them. I used to work there and it baffles my mind on the conspiracy theories people come up with.

The CEO on record calling all Facebook users "dumb fuc*s" for trusting him with all their info qualifies as creepy, I'd say.

 

[Brad908]

The CEO on record calling all Facebook users "dumb fuc*s" for trusting him with all their info qualifies as creepy, I'd say.

In 2004 when he was 19 and joking with a friend. Facebook is the most transparent tech company in silicon valley. You should be much more worried about google.

 

[Woodpecker]

Everytime I now by something all of a sudden I am getting ads on my facebook page to revisit this store, try these stores as they have similar products or checkout these insurance companies afer I had a claim. Its getting like everytime I buy something facebook now knows.
Thing is I don't even give them my email and when I do it is a secondary email account that I rarely use (not associated with my FB account).
How the heck are they tracking now tracking me?

Psst ... take a look over on the right of this page. I'll bet you were shopping for just that thing recently.

 

[Obliviax]

I've been getting twitter messages based on the geographic location. I was in Cincy and I started getting ads for the pizza shop down the street from my hotel.