Facebook reveals how and what it track sites its users visit

In an exclusive interview with USA Today, Facebook has revealed some new insights into its tracking practices. Facebook told USA Today that it uses data collected via cookies to help improve security and its plugins and that it has no plans to change how it uses this data.
Regardless of how Facebook is handling the data it collects through cookies, by doing so it has entered a very sticky debate about whether consumers should be able to opt out of being tracked by such methods.

While it’s all very interesting, we’re more concerned about what exactly it does with user data and how it tracks people.

• Facebook determines what type the company inserts cookies in your browser depending on your activity. If you register for an account, you get a session cookie and a browser cookie. If you don’t set up an account, it only inserts one of the two types.

• These cookies record every time you visit another website that uses a Facebook Like button or other Facebook plugin (a Share or Like button, for instance), the cookie is alerting Facebook of the time and site address you’re on. Unique characteristics that identify your computer are also recorded.

• The site has the ability to find out where you are going on the Internet when you aren’t even logged into Facebook. It uses different methods for members who have signed in and are using their accounts, members who are logged-off and non-members.

• This is all typical for online ad networks, including the likes of Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo. But just because it’s standard practice doesn’t mean it isn’t controversial.

• If you are logged into a Facebook account, your name, email address, friends and all of the other data in your Facebook profile is also recorded.

How does the social media giant keep tabs on its 800 million users?. Is it time consumers start actually thinking about Facebook as part of the Internet advertising industry?