Fact check: Is Facebook monitoring offline activity of users during Off-Facebook activity?

Facebook and privacy concerns have been evidently synonymous in the past. The social media platform is known to be notorious to leak data and track its users. Facebook has shown a poor history of managing user data but has also made undertaken a number of efforts in order to win back lost trust. But, recent developments about Facebook's privacy concerns has revealed that the social networking platform can collect data from users even when they are offline. 

Also read: Fact check: Did 'Jeopardy' host Alex Trebek die due to complications? Rumours clarified

Claim

A WhatsApp forward message was circulated heavily on the messaging platform which revealed that Facebook is tracking its users even when they are offline by using the Off-Facebook option. This option allows Facebook to track users even when they are using some other website. The message also provided steps to deactivate the data tracking done by Off-Facebook activity. 

Rating - True

Facebook introduced the Off-Facebook activity option recently in 2020 itself. It is a new privacy feature that lets users have a look at which websites have been interacting with Facebook and passing your personal data to them. No website can give data to Facebook without a user logging into that platform using his/her Facebook account. According to Facebook, the Off-Facebook activity enables them to showcase relevant advertisements and personalising the user experience. But, the Off-Facebook activity option can be shut down by accessing account settings. As more and more people use their Facebook logins to access various websites including banking and finances, it is also possible for Facebook to have a user's important data which if leaked, can cause harm to them either financially or personally. It is important to understand that Facebook is collecting all the data available and that makes end-users vulnerable to various virtual threats. 

Also read: Fact Check: Chiropractors advising patients to fight COVID-19 with zinc and tonic water?

Origin 

The Off-Facebook activity option came to light when a number of users started pointing out about in on various social media platforms. Twitter users were some of the first to highlight this Off-Facebook activity option and urged people to disable it immediately. Check it out below -

Also read: Fact check: Are Chinese people not allowed in supermarkets in Australia?

Google Trends Analysis

As a number of users started discussing the Off-Facebook activity on social media, people took to Google and searched about the same. This resulted in a surge of search results about Off-Facebook activity. Check it out below - 

Also read: Fact Check: Was March 2020 the first March without a school shooting since 2002 in the US?

Also read: Fact Check: Did the state of Florida open its beaches for the public?