Facebook has been busy with Cambridge Analytica since the privacy scandal to better protect its users’ data. One of the new functions means that from now on you can revoke access to your data for multiple apps at the same time.
Delete multiple Facebook apps at once
One of the ways in which the data company Cambridge Analytica was able to access user data on Facebook was by using its own app on the platform. In order to use apps on Facebook, you must give permission for these apps to receive data from your profile. This data has been restricted since the scandal, whereby apps that have not been used for more than three months have to delete data from users.
To help you keep track of which apps have access to your data, you can now bulk delete them. Where you previously had to run app by app to remove them, you can now easily get rid of this in one list. This can be done on your iPhone as well as on the desktop. To do this, follow the step-by-step plan below.
- Open the ‘Apps’ screen in the sidebar of the app (or via Settings on the desktop version);
- Check the apps you want to disable;
- Tap (or click) ‘Delete’ at the top.
If you remove an app from this list, access to your Facebook profile will be denied. Please note: if you use your Facebook account to log in to Spotify, for example, you will no longer be able to access your account until you give it access again.
European privacy rules
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has interviewed Reuters said it will not apply the new European privacy legislation to all Facebook users. That’s remarkable, given Facebook’s renewed focus on protecting user data. The rules will apply to European users, but not to the rest of the world. Other tech firms, including Apple, have announced that the European rules will soon also apply to users outside Europe.
The most important change in the new legislation is that users will have more control over their own data. For example, it must become more transparent what data companies store about you and offer the option to have this data deleted. Apple has already announced that it will be possible to download your Apple data.
Also interesting: 5 tips for sharing less personal data with Facebook
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