Facebook and Instagram track everything through the built-in browser   

They change the code of websites

Web browsers such as Chrome and Firefox may offer protection from third-party cookies, Apple may offer the blocking of tracking by iOS applications, but all this does not stop Meta from getting the data it wants. A new analysis by Felix Krause reveals that if you use Facebook and Instagram’s built-in browser to visit a website, the apps can track your every move, every text selection, everything you type, even usernames and passwords.

Through this browser, Facebook and Instagram can insert a JavaScript tracking code on the sites you visit. Thanks to this code, Meta has complete freedom to track your movements, without your consent.

So Facebook is stealing my passwords, address and credit card numbers? No. I didn’t reveal the exact data that Instagram tracks, but I did show what data they can get without you knowing. As has been proven in the past, if a company can access your data for free without your consent, they will.

Krause said he had shared his findings with Meta, which responded by saying they had confirmed ” the problem ” but offered no further communication, with Krause giving an ultimatum of two weeks before releasing his findings, which he did on August 10. A day after the disclosure, on August 11, Meta responded by saying that the code being injected into the sites is not the Meta Pixel, but pcm.js, which helps it gather data for targeted ads and measure the effectiveness of the platforms. her. He emphasized that he respects the user’s choice not to be tracked. But as Krause points out, there is no opt-out option in the in-app browser.

The only way for now to protect yourself from this, is to copy-paste the address you want to visit, in the browser of your choice.