How to find out what Facebook knows...

collected about them.

These files, which Facebook enables users to download freely, confirm the company has a wide range of information available on people, beyond the obvious content that is visible on someone’s profile.

So what do they have on me?

It is alarming straight How to find out what Facebook knows: (easier on a computer screen than phone)

Do the following:

1)Log in Facebook and go to SETTINGS

2)Go to GENERAL ACCOUNT SETTINGS

30 Scroll to bottom and click

away. Not just because they know my own preferences to a tee.

I knew they targeted advertising and curated my feed to suit my taste. I see the Ted Baker ads and the constant advertising for handbags and holidays in Greece.

Their ever-changing ‘algorithms’ are the bane of our lives in local news. If they decide something is not important to you they just don’t show you it - and that includes our local news latest.

But I didn’t know they had: DOWNLOAD A COPY OF YOUR FACEBOOK DATA

4) You will be asked for your password and the information will download to your desktop in a Zip format. (note: If it doesn’t appear try again)

Since 2016, Google has allowed every user to see what they have collected on you via a website

■ Every single phone number in my contact book. Not called via on Facebook. Or Messenger. Just called.

■ Every SMS message I have ever sent. Unless I deleted it.

■Every friend I have ever had or non-friend I have interacted with.

■The names and contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses, of anyone saved to a device on which I’ve used Facebook. All of them.

■ Every picture or video I’ve ever taken, or liked.

Think about this. This is called MY ACTIVITY.

You will have to sign into your Google account, then you can look at Bundle View of everything you have shown an interest in, videos you have watched on Youtube, websites you have visited, etc.

There is an Item view and you can also delete activity.

personal information, and if leaked, invaluable to third parties, political parties, advertisers and criminals.

Our Facebook feed is already tickling our egos and reinforcing our views and prejudices, so imagine that in every single thing we do.

Big Brother is not just watching us, he’s part of us.

What’s more, it all appears completely legal - and Facebook say they had had our permission to collect all along.

The social network has already responded to reports on the issue, asserting that this collection is not done without first gaining user permission.

Facebook said the measure is an opt-in feature for the Messenger for Android app and the streamlined version of the site - Facebook Lite - and was designed to help better connect users.

“You may have seen some recent reports that Facebook has been logging people’s call and SMS (text) history without their permission. This is not the case,” the company said.

“People have to expressly agree to use this feature. If, at any time, they no longer wish to use this feature they can turn it off in settings.”

“We never sell this data, and this feature does not collect the content of your text messages or calls.”

As well as the list of friends a user has on their Facebook account, the names and contact information - such as phone numbers and email addresses - of anyone saved to a device on which you use Facebook also appear as part of the data.

Again, though, this is an optional feature. Facebook asks users first if it can access their contacts list as a way of finding and suggesting connections on the social network.

The process is also common across many social media and other apps, usually occurring shortly after first joining a service.

But it does mean some people without a Facebook account could see their phone number become part of the platform’s data archive, should any of their friends or family be on the site.

I don’t know about you but I certainly don’t remember agreeing to anything.

But then I don’t remember my ex-boyfriend’s phone number, email address and preference for outdoor sports.

Facebook does.