Reports have surfaced that a data research company called Cambridge Analytica accessed the data of MILLIONS of Facebook accounts – collecting, sharing, and storing user’s data without their consent! The scary thing – this wasn’t a data breach – Facebook’s policies allowed them to do this!

 

On the heels of Facebook’s role in the 2016 election, this is just another reminder of how volatile our personal information is on the Internet.

 

So what can you do? Log off of Facebook for good?  But how will you see all those funny cat videos and remember when it’s your cousin’s birthday?  

 

Well, for now – you can at least keep your data from going through Facebook’s  API (Application Programming Interface) by controlling your privacy settings.  Keep in mind though – making these changes will mean you can no longer log into other apps, like Instagram, Twitter, etc. using your Facebook Login.  (But by doing this - you also won't be able to post TO Facebook when using other apps.  So you won't be able to share the fact that you played the word QI in Words with Friends or the picture of you watching funny cat videos with your cousin on their birthday to your newsfeed. )

 

So here’s what you need to do:

 

Head to your Facebook account and go to the settings menu. 

 

 

Then select the Apps key

 

 

Now click the "Edit" button under "Apps, Websites and Plugins." 

 

 

 

Now click "Disable Platform."

 

Don’t want to go to the extreme of cutting all your data off?

 

You can also limit the personal information accessible by apps that others use.  To do this – from the settings page - click "Edit" under "Apps Others Use."  Now you can check and uncheck what data you want and don’t want other apps to access … you'll probably want to uncheck everything!

 

 

 

Or ... you can just throw your phone and keyboard away and live off the grid.. forgetting your cousin's birthday every year!