Meta Description: Facebook tracks what you do on other websites and apps even when you’re not using Facebook. Here’s how to see exactly what they’ve collected and shut it down. UK guide updated February 2026.
Open Facebook right now. Go to Settings. Find “Off-Facebook Activity.” Look at the list.
The first time I did this, I genuinely felt sick.
Boots. Rightmove. ASOS. Trainline. My energy provider. My bank’s website. Over a hundred and seventy websites and apps had been sending my browsing data directly to Facebook without me ever agreeing to it. Or at least, without me knowingly agreeing to it.
Every time I browsed trainers on ASOS, Facebook knew. Every time I searched for a flat on Rightmove, Facebook knew. Every time I checked my energy bill online, Facebook knew. And they used all of this to build an advertising profile so accurate that it predicted I was moving house before I’d told anyone except my partner.
That’s Off-Facebook Activity. It’s been running in the background since 2019, and most people have never heard of it.
Here’s how to find it, understand it, and shut it down.
What you need to know:
⏱️ Time needed: 15-20 minutes to review and disable everything
📱 Where: Facebook app or desktop (desktop is easier to review)
🔒 What it does: Stops future tracking (doesn’t delete past data by default)
⚠️ Limitation: Doesn’t stop Facebook tracking entirely (more on this)
📅 Updated: February 2026
What Is Off-Facebook Activity (And Why Should You Care)
Off-Facebook Activity is Facebook’s system for collecting data about what you do outside of Facebook.
How it works:
Thousands of websites and apps have Facebook’s tracking code embedded in their pages. It’s called the Facebook Pixel or Meta Pixel. You’ve never seen it because it’s invisible — just a tiny piece of code running in the background.
When you visit a website that uses the Meta Pixel, the website tells Facebook:
- That you visited
- What pages you looked at
- What you searched for
- What you added to your basket
- What you purchased
- How long you stayed
The website does this because they want to run Facebook ads targeting people who visited their site. It’s called retargeting. That’s why you look at shoes on one website and then see ads for those exact shoes on Facebook ten minutes later.
What Facebook does with it:
Facebook combines this external browsing data with everything it already knows about you from using Facebook and Instagram:
- Your likes, comments, shares
- Your friends and connections
- Your location history
- Your age, gender, relationship status
- Pages you follow
- Groups you’re in
Together, this creates what’s probably the most detailed advertising profile of you that exists anywhere.
The scale is disturbing:
In 2024, an Irish Data Protection Commission investigation found that the average European Facebook user had data from over 180 external websites linked to their profile. UK users tend to be on the higher end because of the density of UK websites using Meta tracking.
Why this matters beyond advertising:
It’s not just about seeing relevant ads. This data reveals patterns about your life:
- Health websites you visit (potential health conditions)
- Financial sites you browse (your financial situation)
- Job sites you use (employment status)
- Political content you engage with (political leanings)
- Shopping patterns (income level, lifestyle)
- Property websites (moving, financial position)
Whether you’re comfortable with Facebook holding this information is a personal decision. But you should at least know it’s happening before you decide.
How to See What Facebook Has Collected About You
On desktop (recommended — much easier to review):
Step 1: Go to facebook.com and log in.
Step 2: Click your profile picture in the top right corner.
Step 3: Select “Settings & Privacy” → “Settings.”
Step 4: In the left sidebar, look for “Accounts Centre” (Meta has been reorganising settings — if you can’t find it in the sidebar, click “See more in Accounts Centre”).
Step 5: Navigate to “Your information and permissions”
Step 6: Find “Your activity off Meta technologies” (previously called “Off-Facebook Activity”).
Step 7: Click “Recent activity” or “Activity review.”
On the Facebook app:
Step 1: Open Facebook app.
Step 2: Tap the menu icon (three lines, usually bottom right on iPhone or top right on Android).
Step 3: Tap “Settings & Privacy” → “Settings.”
Step 4: Scroll down to “Accounts Centre” or “Your information and permissions.”
Step 5: Look for “Your activity off Meta technologies.”
Step 6: Tap to view.
What you’ll see:
A list of every website and app that sent your data to Facebook. Each entry shows:
- The website or app name
- How many interactions were recorded
- When the most recent interaction was
Scroll through it. You’ll recognise some (shopping sites, news sites). Others you won’t recognise at all. Some might surprise you.
Take your time reviewing this. Understanding what’s been collected helps you make informed decisions about what to do next.
How to Disconnect Individual Websites and Apps
If there are specific websites you don’t want sending data to Facebook, you can disconnect them individually.
Steps:
Step 1: From the Off-Meta Activity page, find the website or app you want to disconnect.
Step 2: Tap or click on it.
Step 3: Select “Disconnect” or “Disconnect this activity.”
Step 4: Confirm.
What disconnecting does:
- That specific website’s future data won’t be linked to your Facebook profile
- Past data from that website remains (disconnecting is forward-looking only)
- The website can still send data to Facebook, but Facebook won’t connect it to your specific account
When to use this:
If you want to keep some connections (maybe a store where you genuinely find the retargeted ads useful) but disconnect others (your bank, health sites, property sites), do it selectively.
How to Disconnect ALL Off-Facebook Activity (The Full Shutdown)
If you want to stop all external tracking being linked to your Facebook profile, you can disconnect everything at once and prevent future connections.
Steps:
Step 1: Go to the Off-Meta Activity page (same path as above).
Step 2: Look for “Disconnect future activity” or “Manage future activity.”
Step 3: Toggle the switch to OFF or click “Disconnect future activity.”
Step 4: Facebook will show you a warning: “This may affect your experience on Facebook. Ads will be less relevant.”
Step 5: Confirm by clicking “Disconnect future activity” again.
What happens after you disconnect future activity:
Immediately:
- New browsing data from external websites stops being linked to your Facebook profile
- Your advertising profile stops receiving new external data
- Ads become less “creepily relevant” (some people see this as a benefit)
What doesn’t change:
- Past data already collected stays unless you separately clear it
- Facebook still tracks what you do on Facebook itself
- Facebook still tracks what you do on Instagram (same company)
- Websites still send data to Facebook — it just isn’t connected to your specific profile anymore
Clear your history too:
On the same page, look for “Clear previous activity” or “Disconnect past activity.”
Tap this to remove the connection between your profile and all previously collected Off-Meta activity.
Important: This doesn’t delete the data from Facebook’s servers entirely. It “disconnects” it from your profile, meaning Facebook can no longer use it to target ads at you specifically. The anonymised data may still exist in their analytics systems.
Under UK GDPR, you can request full deletion of this data, but that’s a separate process (covered below).
The GDPR Nuclear Option: Request Full Data Deletion
If disconnecting isn’t enough and you want Facebook to actually delete the Off-Facebook Activity data they hold on you, you can make a formal GDPR request.
How:
Step 1: Go to Facebook’s Data Policy page or search for “Facebook data deletion request UK.”
Step 2: Navigate to the data download/deletion tools in your settings.
Or email directly:
Email: datarequests@support.facebook.com
Template:
textSubject: Data Erasure Request - Off-Facebook Activity
UK GDPR Article 17
Dear Meta Privacy Team,
I am making a data erasure request under UK GDPR
Article 17 regarding all Off-Facebook Activity
(Off-Meta technologies activity) data linked to my
account.
Please delete all data collected from third-party
websites and apps that has been associated with my
Facebook profile.
Account details:
- Facebook profile URL: [your profile URL]
- Registered email: [your email]
- Full name: [your name]
Please confirm once erasure is complete.
I understand you have 30 days to comply.
[Your name]
[Date]
Realistic expectations:
Meta’s privacy team usually responds within 30 days. They’ll confirm what they’ve deleted and what they’ve retained (they can keep some data for legal compliance).
This is the strongest option available under UK law. The ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) at ico.org.uk handles complaints if Meta doesn’t comply.
What Off-Facebook Activity Doesn’t Cover
Here’s an honest reality check. Disconnecting Off-Facebook Activity is a significant step, but it’s not a complete solution.
Facebook still tracks you through:
Instagram: If you use Instagram, Meta collects the same type of data through that platform. Disconnecting Off-Facebook Activity doesn’t affect Instagram’s tracking unless you also disconnect Off-Instagram Activity (same process, different app).
WhatsApp: Meta owns WhatsApp. While WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted, metadata (who you message, when, how often) is shared with Meta for non-EU/UK users. UK users have some additional protections, but the exact boundaries are murky.
Facebook Login: If you use “Log in with Facebook” on other websites, that connection remains active regardless of Off-Facebook Activity settings. Check and remove these separately in Settings → Apps and Websites. Similar process to what we covered in our guide on removing Google app permissions.
Facebook Pixel (anonymised): Even after disconnecting, websites still send data to Facebook through the Meta Pixel. The difference is that this data is no longer linked to YOUR specific profile. Facebook still collects it in aggregate.
Browser fingerprinting: Facebook can identify your browser through technical characteristics (screen resolution, installed fonts, browser version) even without cookies. This is harder to prevent.
What you’d need to do for complete Facebook tracking prevention:
- Disconnect Off-Facebook Activity (what we just did) ✅
- Remove “Log in with Facebook” from all apps ✅
- Use a browser extension like Facebook Container (Firefox) or uBlock Origin
- Use a VPN to mask your IP address
- Consider using a separate browser exclusively for Facebook
- Or the ultimate solution: delete Facebook entirely. Check our account deletion guides when you’re ready for that step.
I’m not suggesting everyone needs to do all of this. For most people, disconnecting Off-Facebook Activity and removing Facebook Login connections is enough to significantly reduce tracking. The rest depends on your personal privacy comfort level.
Browser Extensions That Help (UK Recommendations)
If you want extra protection beyond Facebook’s own settings, these browser extensions are worth considering.
Firefox: Facebook Container
What it does: Isolates Facebook in a separate browser container. Facebook’s tracking code on other websites can’t connect to your Facebook session.
Free? Yes, completely free.
How to get it: Firefox Add-ons → search “Facebook Container” → Install.
This is probably the single most effective anti-Facebook-tracking tool available. I’ve used it for two years. You notice the difference immediately — retargeted ads become much less specific.
Chrome/Edge/Brave: uBlock Origin
What it does: Blocks tracking scripts including the Meta Pixel on most websites. Also blocks ads.
Free? Yes.
Note: This blocks many tracking systems, not just Facebook’s. Some websites may not function correctly with aggressive blocking enabled.
Privacy-focused browsers:
Brave Browser: Blocks trackers by default including Facebook Pixel. Free. Available on desktop and mobile.
Firefox with Enhanced Tracking Protection: Built-in tracker blocking. Set to “Strict” mode for maximum protection.
Check “Log in With Facebook” Connections Too
While you’re cleaning up Facebook tracking, check what apps you’ve connected through Facebook Login.
How to find them:
Step 1: Facebook Settings → Apps and Websites (or “Business Integrations” in newer layouts)
Step 2: Review every connected app
Step 3: Remove any you don’t actively use
Why this matters:
Every “Log in with Facebook” connection gives that app access to your Facebook profile data AND gives Facebook data about your activity on that app. It’s a two-way tracking relationship.
If you connected to fifty apps over the years, that’s fifty data pipelines feeding information back to Facebook.
Same principle as our Google permissions cleanup. Remove what you don’t need. Keep what you actively use. Check our Google permissions guide if you haven’t cleaned that up yet.
For Parents: Check Your Children’s Facebook and Instagram
If your teenagers use Facebook or Instagram, they have Off-Meta Activity data too. Probably a lot of it, given how much time younger users spend online.
What to do:
- Sit with them and review their Off-Meta Activity together
- Disconnect future activity on their accounts
- Remove unnecessary “Log in with Facebook” connections
- Explain what tracking means in simple terms
For under-13s:
They shouldn’t have Facebook or Instagram accounts under Meta’s terms. But if they do (and let’s be honest, many UK kids do), the same cleanup steps apply.
Will Disconnecting Affect Your Facebook Experience?
Short answer: slightly.
What changes:
Ads become less targeted:
Instead of seeing ads for the exact shoes you browsed on ASOS, you’ll see more generic ads. Some people actually prefer this — it feels less invasive.
Suggested content may be less relevant:
Facebook uses Off-Meta data to suggest Groups, Pages, and content. Without it, suggestions become more general.
Nothing else changes:
Your News Feed, messages, friends, photos, Groups — all work exactly the same. Disconnecting tracking doesn’t break any Facebook features.
My honest experience after disconnecting:
I disconnected everything about eighteen months ago. The first week felt odd because the ads were suddenly random — insurance companies, car dealerships, things I had zero interest in. After a few weeks, Facebook’s algorithm recalibrated using only my on-Facebook behaviour, and ads became somewhat relevant again.
The main difference now: I don’t get that uncomfortable feeling of being watched across the internet. I searched for engagement rings once (for a friend, genuinely) and wasn’t bombarded with jewellery ads on Facebook for three months like it would have happened before.
Worth it.
The Instagram Side
Everything we’ve discussed applies equally to Instagram, which Meta also owns.
To disconnect Off-Instagram Activity:
- Open Instagram → Profile → Settings
- Navigate to Accounts Centre → Your information and permissions
- Find “Your activity off Meta technologies”
- Same process: review, disconnect individual apps, or disconnect all future activity
Why do both:
If you disconnect Off-Facebook Activity but not Off-Instagram Activity, Meta still collects your external browsing data through Instagram. You need to do both platforms for meaningful reduction in tracking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does disconnecting Off-Facebook Activity delete my Facebook account?
No. Your account stays completely intact. All your posts, photos, friends, messages, Groups — everything remains exactly as it is. You’re only affecting how Facebook uses data from external websites.
Will I stop seeing ads on Facebook?
No. You’ll still see ads. They’ll just be less specifically targeted to your browsing habits outside of Facebook. You might actually see more ads because Facebook will try different approaches to figure out what’s relevant to you without the external data.
Does this affect my Instagram too?
Not automatically. Facebook and Instagram are both owned by Meta but have separate Off-Meta Activity settings. You need to disconnect on both platforms separately for full effect.
Can websites still track me if I disconnect?
Yes. Websites still use the Meta Pixel and other tracking technologies. The difference is that this data is no longer connected to your specific Facebook profile. The website itself may still track you through its own cookies and analytics.
How often should I check Off-Facebook Activity?
Every three to six months. New websites get added as you browse, especially if you visit new online shops or services. A quarterly check keeps things clean.
If you’ve disconnected future activity, new connections won’t be linked to your profile anyway. But it’s still worth reviewing occasionally to make sure the setting hasn’t been reset (which can happen after major Facebook updates).
Does this work on the Facebook app or only desktop?
Both. The process works on the Facebook app (iOS and Android) and on desktop. Desktop is easier because you get a better overview of all connected websites, but the app works fine for the actual disconnection steps.
Is this the same as clearing my browser cookies?
No. Browser cookies are stored on your device. Off-Facebook Activity data is stored on Facebook’s servers. Clearing cookies stops some tracking temporarily, but websites place new cookies on your next visit. Disconnecting Off-Facebook Activity affects what Facebook does with data on their servers, which is more permanent.
What about Facebook Marketplace? Does disconnecting affect that?
No. Facebook Marketplace functionality is completely unaffected. You can still buy, sell, and browse Marketplace normally. The only change is that Marketplace ads may be less targeted to your browsing habits.
Summary
To stop Facebook tracking other websites:
- Facebook → Settings → Accounts Centre → Your information and permissions → Your activity off Meta technologies
- Review the list of websites sending your data to Facebook
- Disconnect individual websites you’re uncomfortable with
- Or disconnect ALL future activity for maximum privacy
- Clear past activity history while you’re there
- Repeat the same process for Instagram
- Check and remove “Log in with Facebook” connections on old apps
For maximum protection:
- Use Firefox with Facebook Container extension
- Install uBlock Origin to block Meta Pixel
- Consider a GDPR data erasure request for historical data
- Review quarterly to catch new connections
Remember:
- Disconnecting doesn’t delete your Facebook account
- Ads become less targeted but don’t disappear
- Past data needs to be separately cleared
- Instagram needs separate disconnection
- Full tracking prevention requires additional browser tools
Related Guides
Taking control of your digital privacy?
- Remove Sign in With Google From All Apps ✅
- Delete Temu Account Permanently UK ✅
- Delete Vinted Account UK ✅
- Browse all privacy and security guides
Thinking about deleting Facebook entirely?
Also cleaning up UK subscriptions?
- Cancel Amazon Prime UK and Keep Prime Video ✅
- Cancel PureGym Membership UK ✅
- Browse all subscription cancellation guides
Know your UK consumer rights?
Last Updated: February 2026
Facebook/Meta interface version: Current as of February 2026 (Meta frequently reorganises their settings menus — core functionality remains the same)
Settings moved again? Contact us and we’ll update the navigation steps.