With the recent revelation of Cambridge Analytica acquiring the records of 50 million Facebook users. You may be wondering what you can do to improve your Facebook privacy.

First things first, the feature that allowed Cambridge Analytica to data harvest 50 million profiles is no longer on the website.

Facebook apps used to be able to ask any users for permission to access their data. Allowing companies to view your age, sex, political and religious views. However what most people did not realise is that they would also be sharing their Facebook Friends data too.

Do not panic, this was changed in 2014 and now only allows Facebook apps to gather information from users who have directly signed up to the app, and not their friends. While it is true that, when you log in to an app using your Facebook account you are still giving developers of the app access to information, it is nothing that you have not already posted and made public yourself.

How To Increase Your Facebook Privacy

If you want to bolster your Facebook privacy you will need to head to the app settings page on Facebook. This is the place that you will be able to manage the apps that you have given access too.

Clicking on the link will bring up a list of apps that you are logged into using Facebook. We hope that you recognise them, however, you may not recognise all of them. If you do not then you can click on the X to deauthorize them from your account

Whilst you are there you’ll notice a section called ‘apps others use’ this is claimed to make your friends ‘experience better and more social’ this is the same feature that allowed Cambridge Analytica to profit from information that your Facebook friends unwillingly hand over on your behalf. It’s limited now but still includes personal data such as your date of birth and your religious and political views. If you uncheck all the boxes you will not allow your friends to share your data.

However, in the light of this recent news, you may feel like Facebook isn’t the place for you and your data anymore. If you want to permanently delete your Facebook account you’ll have to head over the ‘How do I permanently delete my account?’ This will require you to fill out your password and prove you are not a robot. After 90 days your Facebook account will finally be deleted.