Thousands of companies sending your data to Facebook, study shows

A new study examining the sources of information about users’ online activities sent to Facebook reveals a much larger scale of online monitoring than previously understood by many users.

While most internet users are aware of constant online tracking, the extent of this surveillance was not widely known. According to a study conducted by U.S. non-profit consumer watchdog Consumer Reports, in collaboration with investigative newsroom The Markup, a total of 186,892 companies sent data about 709 volunteers to Facebook.

On average, each participant in the study had their data sent to Facebook by 2,230 companies, the publication reported. In some cases, some listed over 7,000 companies providing their data. Participants shared archives of their Facebook data from the last three years for the study.

Ironically, Consumer Reports acknowledged that it is one of the top 100 companies that send their users’ data to Facebook.

No specific country

This study examined a typically hidden form of tracking – “server-to-server” tracking – where data gets transferred directly between companies’ servers, bypassing users’ browsers unlike “tracking pixels” visible on some websites.

However, because participants were self-selected, and the results weren’t adjusted for demographics, the study does not claim to represent the entire U.S. population. This implies similar massive data transfers are likely occurring for people in other countries, like Nigeria.

Meta spokesperson Emil Vazquez defended the company’s practices. “We offer a number of transparency tools to help people understand the information that businesses choose to share with us, and manage how it’s used,” wrote Vazquez in a statement to The Markup.

While tools like the one facilitating this study do exist, Consumer Reports identified issues with them. For example, many data providers’ identities remain obscure due to the names disclosed to users. Additionally, companies servicing advertisers can often disregard opt-out requests.

Interestingly, the San Francisco-based data broker LiveRamp appeared in 96% of participants’ data. But the list of entities sharing your online activity with Facebook extends beyond lesser-known brokers.

Top retailers like Home Depot, Walmart, and Macy’s all ranked among the study’s top 100 most frequently-seen companies. Notably, credit reporting and consumer data companies like Experian and TransUnion’s Neustar made the list, alongside online giants like Amazon, Etsy, and PayPal, popular among Nigerians.

What data contains

Consumer Reports analyzed two types of data Meta uses to track you:

1. Custom audiences: Advertisers upload your online IDs (like email or ad IDs) to Meta, allowing them to target you and similar people with ads on Facebook, Instagram, etc.
2. Events: This covers your interactions with brands outside Meta, like visiting their website, playing their game, shopping in their store, or buying their product. Meta collects this data through:
   • Code in mobile apps: Embedded code sends information about your app activity to Meta.
   • Tracking pixels on websites: When you visit a website with a Meta pixel, it tells Meta you were there.
   • Server-to-server tracking: Companies directly send data about your activity to Meta.

You want to see you data?

Facebook offers limited access to your off-platform data:

• Users can review a list of companies that shared their data with Facebook at https://accountscenter.facebook.com/info_and_permissions.
• Choose “Your activity off Meta technologies” then “Recent activity”.
• This shows snippets of recent data sharing and lets you disconnect from specific companies.

However, accessing details is cumbersome:

• You may need to re-enter your password and navigate confusing menus.
• Many company names are unreadable gibberish, numbers, or ambiguous.
• No links to company websites are provided for further information.

This limited transparency leaves users unsure about the exact nature and extent of data sharing by companies and Facebook.

Additional points you might consider adding:

• You can request a more detailed data download, but processing can take up to 30 days.
• Consumer Reports found over 7,000 unreadable company names in their study, highlighting the lack of transparency.
• This lack of clarity makes it difficult for users to exercise control over their data and make informed decisions about their online privacy.