A week after European researchers discovered that Facebook is listening to your browser, even in incognito mode, both companies are reticent about why they do this and how it could go unnoticed. The first lawsuit is a fact.
Last week, researchers revealed that Facebook and Instagram apps were monitoring which sites you visited and what you did there without your knowledge or consent. This was possible if a Facebook Pixel was present on that site. The Russian Yandex also employed this practice.
Once caught, both Meta and Yandex were quick to shut down the practice. Barely an hour after the findings were published, Google was able to say that the practice violated its security and privacy principles. Meta came out with a two-sentence statement after an hour and a half, suggesting that the company had misunderstood Google’s policy. At the same time, Yandex also came out the next day explaining that it does not collect sensitive information, but will stop doing so.
No answers
Despite the quick responses from the three companies, it has been quiet for a week now about why users are being listened to. Data News had already asked Meta and Yandex last week why this was done and why incognito browser visits were also tracked.
We also wanted to know if such a practice is mentioned in the terms of use and if users have the option to have that data deleted. Neither Meta nor Yandex responded to these questions despite our insistence.
Google also seems to be annoyed by the issue. The fact that the practice was possible on Android but not on iOS suggests that Android’s privacy and security rules are less strict. Or that apps in the Google Play Store are barely checked. Meta and Instagram are two of the most popular apps in the world. Every time an update is released for such an app, it must be rechecked by Google.
Yes, a lawsuit
The practice, however, has led to the possibility of a lawsuit. In the American state of California, a resident, Devin Rose, has filed a class-action lawsuit against Meta. The man points out that Meta links his browser visits to his profile on Facebook and Instagram, which means that the visit is no longer anonymous. Meta would violate California law in doing so, Mediapost reports.