Navigating Privacy Concerns: How to Protect Your Data Amidst Meta's Surveillance

 Recently it came to light that Meta the company behind platforms like Facebook and Instagram has been using some shady tactics that an expert compared to those used by digital scammers to sneakily gather browsing info from Android devices. 

Turns out neither Google who owns the Android system nor anyone else had any idea that Meta was secretly collecting user data through a hidden route for months. As soon as the researchers shared what they found Meta said they’d stop these practices. It’s not the first time Meta has crossed privacy lines but the tricks they used were so sneaky that even experienced privacy experts were stunned according to a report from the Washington Post shared by "Al Arabiya Business."

Peter Dolanjski who is a product director at DuckDuckGo a search engine and browser that focuses on privacy said “It’s a blatant violation of people’s basic expectations.”

The issues aren’t just about one company either; the research points out that these problems still exist even years after scandals about companies turning phones into constant spying devices.

Gunes Akar an assistant professor at Radboud University in the Netherlands noticed something strange while looking for info on tracking and online privacy on the university’s site.

Millions of websites are packed with Meta codes that gather info about user activities online possibly recording sensitive details like income or what you buy online.

Meta uses info from its "Meta Pixel" program to build profiles for advertising.

Researchers found that apps from Meta and Yandex a Russian tech firm have evaded privacy protections on Android phones allowing them to secretly follow users as they browsed the web.

Dolanjski pointed out that these methods are a lot like malware that gets installed on phones or PCs without anyone knowing.

Google commented that what Meta and Yandex did is a big violation of our security and privacy guidelines. A rep from Meta said the company is talking with Google “to clear up any possible misunderstanding about its rules” adding that “Meta” has stopped the previous activities.

To keep your data safe it’s important to note that no privacy settings could have stopped what Meta and Yandex did but their actions have shown some weak spots in web browsers and apps.

To protect yourself don’t use Chrome. Mozilla’s Firefox along with browsers like Brave and DuckDuckGo block a lot of common tracking methods from one site to another while Chrome the most popular browser doesn’t offer those protections.

If you have an Android phone you can change your settings to make one of these privacy-focused browsers your go-to whenever you click a web link.

Also, whenever possible try to use a company’s website rather than their app. Websites can’t easily follow you around or access your private info without your say-so like apps can.

So if you sometimes use your phone say to book flight tickets or get home insurance you’re usually safer privacy-wise when visiting the company’s website instead of using its mobile app.

On top of that it’s wise to delete any Meta or Yandex apps from your phone if you have any since those apps let companies gather more info like your rough location your phone's battery status and other devices linked to your home Wi-Fi network like an Xbox.

Meta logo (Source: Reuters)