Facebook safety on Andoid
May 9, 2020 12:14 PM Subscribe
What's the best way to be able to access Facebook on my phone while giving the least amount of additional information to Facebook?
I typically avoid Facebook, but my gym has transitioned to online via a private facebook group and I'm tired of feeling slothy. Obviously I'm not going to be using the app but what's the current best practice for keeping facebook from tracking me outside the site?
I typically avoid Facebook, but my gym has transitioned to online via a private facebook group and I'm tired of feeling slothy. Obviously I'm not going to be using the app but what's the current best practice for keeping facebook from tracking me outside the site?
Tinfoil for Facebook is a self-contained browser app for Facebook. It's not perfect and should probably be combined with other techniques but it should cut down on a lot of the simple tracking mechanisms
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 12:46 PM on May 9, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 12:46 PM on May 9, 2020 [1 favorite]
Use the website instead of the app & sign in/out as needed. Still works, although it's a little clunky. Note that you can't access messenger if that's something you need.
posted by ellebee at 12:58 PM on May 9, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by ellebee at 12:58 PM on May 9, 2020 [2 favorites]
You can still access messages in the browser version if you switch to the Desktop version of the site.
posted by esker at 1:40 PM on May 9, 2020
posted by esker at 1:40 PM on May 9, 2020
The Facebook app is very invasive. I use facebook in browser; that may be invasive also. Consider using a different browser. Chrome is installed on Androids; I also have Firefox and Opera, which I installed specifically to use an alternate email easily.
posted by theora55 at 2:37 PM on May 9, 2020
posted by theora55 at 2:37 PM on May 9, 2020
The MaterialFbook App is open source and is basically a skin on the mobile website version of FB to make it feel more like the app. It blocks sponsored content by default, and you can turn off location access so FB can't track your physical location.
posted by COD at 4:45 PM on May 9, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by COD at 4:45 PM on May 9, 2020 [1 favorite]
There is a "basic" stripped down version of Facebook where I access messages on my mobile browser (Firefox for Android). https://mbasic.facebook.com/messages
You could also use that basic version to access the main FB site as well, though I usually access the regular mobile version in a private browser session.
posted by JonathanB at 7:41 PM on May 9, 2020 [2 favorites]
You could also use that basic version to access the main FB site as well, though I usually access the regular mobile version in a private browser session.
posted by JonathanB at 7:41 PM on May 9, 2020 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Install a VPN client. Use an overseas exit node.
Install Firefox for Android.
While connected to the VPN, using a private browser window, create a new Facebook account. Do not use any information connected to your real identity.
Use a new private browser window each time you use Facebook. Never follow a link to a non-facebook site in that window.
posted by sourcequench at 12:39 PM on May 9, 2020 [1 favorite]