How to quit Facebook and secure your data
After reports that Cambridge Analytica scraped the data of potentially 50 million users without consent, users of the social network may want to take a closer look at their privacy settings. Or, delete their profiles altogether.
Here’s a few options to secure your data, according to the Facebook Help Centre.
DELETE YOUR PROFILE: Request to have your account deleted by contacting Facebook at this link. Keep in mind it may take up to 90 days. This change is permanent, with no option for recovery, according to the social network. Before you make the request, Facebook suggests you download your personal archive, which includes photos, videos, posts, status updates and chats, among other info.
DEACTIVATE YOUR ACCOUNT: Instead of deleting your profile, another option is to take a break and deactivate your account.
1. Click at the top right of any Facebook page.
2. Select “Settings.”
3. Click “General” in the left column.
4. Choose “Manage your account” and then scroll down to click “Deactivate your account.”
EDIT APP PRIVACY SETTINGS: This allows you to review apps and games linked with your profile and make adjustments to privacy settings that access profile information, friends and photos.
1. Click in the top right of Facebook and select “Settings.”
2. Click “Apps” in the left menu.
3. Click an app or game to edit its settings.
4. Click “Save.”
HOW TO TURN OFF FACEBOOK PLATFORM: This is what is used by third-party developers to create applications, tools and services that access data in Facebook. Be aware that when you turn off this feature, you may lose information that can’t be recovered.
1. Go to “Settings.”
2. Select “Apps” from the left column.
3. Click on the box titled “Apps, Websites and Plugins.”
4. Edit settings for each app.