Facebook can be an excellent way to stay in touch with family and friends, especially those who live a long distance away from you. Like most Facebook users, I installed the iOS app as a way to follow status updates and contribute my own posts while on the go. Though convenient, Facebook for iOS has a location tracking feature that many people may not be aware of. It may also make them uncomfortable knowing Facebook is keeping tabs on every where they go.
Unbeknownst to many users, Facebook has a location tracking option, turned on by default when they enable the “Nearby Friends” feature. This feature allows users to share their location and find friends who are nearby. To work effectively, this feature requires the app to track and record a user’s every movement on a constant basis. The settings for this location tracking information in the Facebook iOS app can be found in either the iOS settings or the Facebook app itself. To find and turn off location services in iOS, simply go to the Settings app and select Privacy > Location Services. Scroll down until you see the Facebook app settings. Click on the settings for Facebook and make sure the option for “Never” is selected. Other options for this setting includes “While Using the App” and “Always.”
You also can find a similar setting in the Facebook app for iOS and can make changes from there as well.
- Open the Facebook app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap on the More tab in the bottom right corner of the navigation bar.
- Scroll down if necessary and tap on Account Settings.
- Tap on Location in the Account Settings.
- Confirm that the Location tracking is set to “Never.”
- Change it as needed.
The location information gathering here should be set to never, which disables the app from tracking and storing your location. If the setting already is never, relax as Facebook doesn’t have a record of your every move. You also will see a dialog box reminding you that location history is off whenever you access these settings. If the location tracking is set to “While Using the App” or “Always,” you can change it by tapping the location icon. This will open the iOS settings, where you can navigate to Privacy > Location Services and turn off Facebook location tracking. Do you allow Facebook to track your location? Why or Why not? Please share your thought on Facebook’s location data policies in the comments below.
