Facebook is not very ethical when it comes to handling user data. And since many users are dissatisfied with Facebook’s policies, Mozilla came up with a new way to stay secure from Facebook’s tracking.
It’s a new type of defense against the advertising business of social media giants and it’s called Facebook Container. It’s an add-on that tries to limit the tracking attempts made by Facebook and helps users to take refuge from the online advertising nexus.
How the Facebook container can help you
This browser extension lets you control your web activity by limiting your Facebook identity to a container. With this, Facebook won’t be able to use third-party cookies to keep a track of your activities on other websites.
If you’re one of those users who have decided to quit Facebook because it’s been spying on your details, you can use this privacy tool and binge on the adorable photos of your niece. When you use Mozilla, the browser does not collect data from the Facebook container. It will only know how many times the plugin was installed and removed.
How Facebook Container Works
When you install the Facebook Container on Mozilla, it deletes all your Facebook cookies and also logs you off from the social media website. So the next time you open Facebook, it now opens in a new tab – the container tab.
Now you can log into your Facebook account and use it in a normal way. If you click on a non-Facebook link in that tab, these pages will load in the regular tabs and not in container tabs. If you are on a regular tab visiting a non-Facebook website and you click on the Facebook Share button, it will automatically load in the Facebook container.
However, when you share something on Facebook using a share button, Facebook will get to know the website from which they are shared.
Keep in mind that while this will help you have a safe experience, it might not be very smooth. If you use the ‘login via Facebook’ option to login to or create a new account on another website, it might not work properly.
Also, when you open Facebook in the container, the embedded Like buttons in tabs that are outside the container will not work in their usual way. This is done so that Facebook cannot associate your information with the websites out of the container.
You might not get the same smooth experience that you’re used to when using the Like and Comment sections on non-Facebook websites, but this will be good for your privacy. User privacy is extremely important and since Facebook doesn’t value privacy, several users have started moving away. However, with this little extension, things become a little safer.
Is it Enough to Use the Facebook Container?
Mozilla Firefox product’s VP, Nick Nguyen, believes that as an internet user, everyone deserves to have a voice and should be able to use the internet as they want.
According to Nguyen, the Facebook container is something that will protect you against unforeseen concerns related to online use. The Cambridge Analytica incident wouldn’t have happened if affected users used a Facebook container.
As you use the internet, a lot of data gets collected about your activities. It’s important to have a choice on what data gets collected about you.
While the Facebook container isn’t a complete privacy solution, it is still something. You will need other tools with it to make sure your data stays safe. Of course, if you’re a hardcore internet user, you can use Tor. However, using Tor might get you more attention from the authorities. Besides, Tor can make things slower. If you just want to limit Facebook tracking, the Mozilla Facebook container is a good option.
There are other browser add-ons as well that offer some privacy. There’s uBlock Origin. And then there’s Privacy Badger. You can also try Disconnect and NoScript etc. But the Facebook container is different than all of these.
Besides, if you want your connection to be encrypted, you can just use a VPN. But with VPNs, there are also issues about what they collect about you. This makes it very important to get the right VPN that doesn’t log your data. And even if you use a VPN, a website might get to know about your real identity by browser fingerprinting, which is why it’s important to be careful when you’re online.
The Facebook container is a good idea but comes with a number of limitations. For instance, Facebook ads have links that have tracking IDs. These might lie outside the Facebook container, which makes it possible for ad companies to link your external profile with your Facebook profile.
What are the Alternatives?
There are some alternatives that you might want to try.
Ghostery
With this privacy ad blocker, you get a safer, faster, and cleaner online experience. It comes with an ad blocker that reduces the clutter on your pages. It combines AI-boosted anti-tracking technology. This helps in speeding up the websites and also offers comprehensive and robust privacy protection.
Exodify
It is an open source plugin that exposes the trackers that are hidden in Android apps. It works in the Google Play Store and prevents leaking and harvesting of user data. We cannot trust apps anymore. Keep an eye out for the applications that are trying to track you.
AdGuard Pro
This one is a good privacy tool for iOS. It has system-wide trackers that don’t just work on Safari but on all your online activities. With its DNS encryption, there is no tracking by third parties, including the ISP. It helps users easily block malware and phishing websites.
As you can see, there are a number of tools that you can use to keep your data private. While there are several companies that are trying to use your data, Facebook is the one that most users distrust. To make sure your activities are hidden from Facebook, try the container plugin and stay safe.