What categories of personal data does Facebook (Meta) actively collect from its users through its platforms and services, and how do those categories break down specifically? I’m interested in a detailed listing that goes beyond simply stating "location data" or "demographic information," but rather specifies what about their location (e.g., precise GPS coordinates, IP-derived location, location inferred from check-ins, location based on nearby Wi-Fi networks), and what demographic data (e.g., age range, gender assigned at birth, self-identified gender, relationship status, educational history, employment history, ethnicity inferred from profile data). Furthermore, I’d like to know what data Facebook collects passively or infers about its users without them explicitly providing it, and how they derive those inferences. Also, I am curious how the data collection practices differ across different Facebook-owned platforms and services like Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus. Finally, what steps does Meta take to anonymize and/or aggregate user data, and what limitations exist in preventing the re-identification of individuals from supposedly anonymized datasets?

Answer

Facebook collects a vast amount of data about its users, broadly categorized as:

1. Information Provided by Users:

• Registration Information: Name, email address or phone number, password, date of birth, gender.
• Profile Information: Information users choose to add to their profiles, such as:
  • About Me section (interests, hobbies, personal details).
  • Work history (employer, job title, dates of employment).
  • Education history (schools attended, degrees earned).
  • Relationship status.
  • Places lived.
• Content: Posts, photos, videos, stories, live videos, comments, audio, notes, and other content that users share on the platform. This includes metadata associated with the content, such as the time and location it was created.
• Messages: The content of messages sent and received through Facebook Messenger and other communication features.
• Contact Information: Information uploaded or synced from users’ address books (names, phone numbers, email addresses). This allows Facebook to suggest friends and improve ad targeting.
• Payment Information: If users make purchases through Facebook (e.g., in-game purchases, advertising), Facebook collects payment card details, billing address, and transaction history.
• IDs and Documents: Government-issued IDs or other documents submitted for verification purposes.
• Information about events attended or created.

2. Information Collected Automatically:

• Activity Data: Information about users’ activity on Facebook and related services, including:
  • Pages, groups, and profiles followed or liked.
  • Events attended or expressed interest in.
  • Interactions with posts (likes, comments, shares).
  • Searches performed on Facebook.
  • Apps and websites connected to Facebook.
  • Ads clicked on or viewed.
  • Games played.
• Device Information: Information about the devices users use to access Facebook, including:
  • Operating system.
  • Hardware and software versions.
  • Device settings.
  • Device identifiers (e.g., IMEI, MAC address).
  • Mobile network information.
  • IP address.
  • Time zone.
• Location Information:
  • GPS data (if location services are enabled).
  • Information about nearby Wi-Fi access points and cell towers.
  • Location information inferred from IP addresses.
  • Check-ins at locations.
  • Location tags on posts and photos.
• Cookie Data: Cookies and similar technologies (pixels, web beacons) are used to track users’ activity across Facebook and other websites. This data is used for ad targeting, analytics, and personalization.
• Metadata: Information about the content uploaded, such as the date, time, and location it was created.
• Information from Facebook Products: Data about how users interact with other Facebook-owned products (e.g., Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus). This data is often combined to create a more comprehensive profile of users.

3. Information from Third Parties:

• Information from Partners: Data received from advertisers, app developers, and other partners. This may include:
  • Demographic information (age, gender, income).
  • Interests and behaviors.
  • Purchase history.
  • Website browsing activity.
  • Offline activity (e.g., loyalty program memberships).
• Information from Data Brokers: Data purchased from data brokers, which aggregate information from various sources.
• Information from Other Users: Information about a user that other users provide, such as tagging them in photos, mentioning them in posts, or including their contact information in their address books.
• Information from Publicly Available Sources: Information gathered from publicly accessible websites, databases, and records.

Specific Examples and Further Details:

• Facial Recognition Data: Facebook uses facial recognition technology to identify users in photos and videos. This data is used to suggest tags and personalize the user experience.
• Audio Data: In some cases, Facebook may collect audio data from users’ devices, such as when they are using voice assistants or creating audio content.
• Usage patterns: Facebook analyzes how users interact with the platform, including the frequency and duration of their visits, the types of content they engage with, and the features they use.
• Social Graph: Facebook creates a detailed map of users’ relationships with other people, groups, and organizations. This social graph is used to personalize recommendations and improve ad targeting.
• Inferred Interests: Even if a user doesn’t explicitly state their interests, Facebook can infer them based on their activity on the platform. For example, if a user frequently likes posts about hiking, Facebook might infer that they are interested in outdoor activities.

The specific data collected and how it is used can vary depending on the user’s privacy settings and the features they use. Facebook’s data collection practices are constantly evolving.