What is the Privacy Policy and what does it cover?Highlights- This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use and share your information. It also describes how long we keep your information and how we keep it safe when we transfer it.
- The Privacy Policy also lets you know your rights
- This policy applies to what we call Meta Products, or Products. Our Products include Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Portal.
- It also applies to Meta Quest if you log in with a Facebook or Meta account
We at Meta want you to understand what information we collect, and how we use and share it. That’s why we encourage you to read our Privacy Policy. This helps you use Meta Products in the way that’s right for you. In the Privacy Policy, we explain how we collect, use, share, retain and transfer information. We also let you know your rights. Each section of the Policy includes helpful examples and simpler language to make our practices easier to understand. We’ve also added links to resources where you can learn more about the privacy topics that interest you. It's important to us that you know how to control your privacy, so we also show you where you can manage your information in the settings of the Meta Products you use. You can update these settings to shape your experience. Read the full policy below. Return to top How do we use your information?HighlightsHere are some of the ways we use your information: - We personalize your experience, like by suggesting reels to watch or communities to join
- We improve our Products by applying information about what you use them to do, and what else is happening on your device when our app crashes
- We work to prevent harmful behavior and keep people safe on our Products
- We send you messages about the Products you use or ones you might like, if you let us
- We research for the good of people around the world, like to advance technology or to help out in a crisis
We use information we collect to provide a personalized experience to you, including ads, along with the other purposes we explain in detail below. For some of these purposes, we use information across our Products and across your devices. The information we use for these purposes is automatically processed by our systems. But in some cases, we also use manual review to access and review your information. To use less information that’s connected to individual users, in some cases we de-identify or aggregate information or anonymize it so that it no longer identifies you. We use this information in the same ways we use your information as described in this section. Here are the ways we use your information: To provide, personalize and improve our ProductsRead more about how we use information to provide, personalize and improve our Products: How we show ads and other sponsored or commercial contentWhen you use our Products, you see ads and sponsored or commercial content, like product listings in Shops. You also see ads shown through Meta Audience Network or commercial content when you visit other apps. We want everything you see to be interesting and useful to you. To decide what to show you and others, we use information we have about you, including: - Your profile information
- Your activity on and off our Products, including information we receive through cookies and similar technologies, according to your settings
- Content you create or interact with across Facebook and Instagram
- Things we infer about you, like topics we think you may be interested in
- Information about your friends, followers or other connections, including their activity or interests
Learn more about some of the ways we show you ads that we think may be interesting to you, including using machine learning. Take controlManage ad preferencesHow we use information to improve our ProductsWe’re always trying to make our Products better and create new ones with the features you want. Information we collect from you helps us learn how. We use information we collect to: - See if a product is working correctly
- Troubleshoot and fix it when it’s not
- Test out new products and features to see if they work
- Get feedback on our ideas for products or features
- Conduct surveys and other research about what you like about our Products and brands and what we can do better
How we use location-related informationWe use location-related information that you allow us to receive if you turn on the Location Services device setting. This includes things like your GPS location and, depending on the operating system you're using, other device signals. We also receive and use some location-related information even if Location Services is turned off. This includes: - IP addresses, which we use to estimate your general location. We can use IP addresses to estimate your specific location if it’s necessary to protect the safety and security of you or others.
- Your and others' activity on our Products, like check-ins and events
- Information you give us directly, like if you enter your current city on your profile, or provide your address in Marketplace
- Provide, personalize and improve our Products, including ads, for you and others. See an example.
- Detect suspicious activity and help keep your account secure. Learn how.
Take controlManage location settingsTo promote safety, security and integrityWe use information we collect to help protect people from harm and provide safe, secure Products. Learn moreTo provide measurement, analytics and business servicesLots of people rely on our Products to run or promote their businesses. We help them measure how well their ads and other content, products and services are working. Learn moreTo communicate with youWe communicate with you using information you've given us, like contact information you've entered on your profile. Learn moreTo research and innovate for social goodWe use information we have, information from researchers and datasets from publicly available sources, professional groups and non-profit groups to conduct and support research. Learn morePromoting safety, security and integrityHere are some ways we promote safety, security and integrity. We work to: - Verify accounts and activity
- Find and address violations of our terms or policies. In some cases, the decisions we make about violations are reviewed by the Oversight Board. They may use information we have when they review our decisions. Learn more about how the Oversight Board processes information.
- Investigate suspicious activity
- Detect, prevent and combat harmful or unlawful behavior
- Identify and combat disparities and racial bias against historically marginalized communities
- Detect and prevent spam and other bad experiences
- Detect when someone needs help and provide support
- Detect and stop threats to our personnel and property
- Maintain the integrity of our Products
Learn more about how we work to keep Meta a safe place for everyone. Providing measurement, analytics and business servicesOur measurement and analytics services help our partners understand things like: - How many people see and interact with their products, services or content, including posts, videos, Facebook Pages, listings, Shops and ads (including those shown through apps using Meta Audience Network)
- How people interact with their content, websites, apps and services
- What types of people interact with their content or use their services
- How people use our partners' products and services to connect to Meta Products, the performance of their connection and networks and users' experience with them
We also use the information we collect to provide business services. More in the Privacy PolicyCommunicating with youWe communicate with you in a few different ways. For example: - We send messages about the Products we know you use, using the email you register to your account
- Depending on your settings, we send marketing communications about Products you might like
- We ask you to participate in research based on things like how you use our Products
- We let you know about our policies and terms of service
- When you contact us with questions, we reply to your email
- We facilitate customer support communications with you when you've told us, either directly or through a third party, that you have questions or concerns about our Products
We also use information about how you interact with our messages, like if you open an email from us. This helps us understand the best way to reach you and whether our communications are helpful. Take controlResearching and innovating for social good We research and innovate to help people around the world. Our goals include: - Contributing to social good and areas of public interest
- Advancing technology
- Improving safety, health and well-being
Here are some examples of our research: - We analyze information about where groups of people go during crises. This helps relief organizations get aid to the right places.
- We work with independent researchers to better understand the impact social media might have on elections and democratic processes
- We’ve collaborated with academics and industry experts to help improve internet access and quality in rural areas
- We support research in areas like artificial intelligence and machine learning to do things like create COVID-19 forecasting models
More in the Privacy PolicyHow do we share information with third parties?HighlightsWe share certain information with: - Advertisers who show ads on our Products
- Businesses we hire to market our Products for us
- Businesses we hire to do things like offer customer service or conduct surveys
- Researchers who use it to do things like innovate, advance technology, or improve people’s safety
We don’t sell your information, and we never will. We don't sell any of your information to anyone, and we never will. We also require partners and other third parties to follow rules about how they can and cannot use and disclose the information we provide. Here’s more detail about who we share information with: PartnersAdvertisers and Audience Network publishersAdvertisersWe provide advertisers with reports about the number and kinds of people who see and engage with their ads and commercial content. These reports include information about the general demographics and interests of people who engaged with an advertiser’s ad or commercial content. Then advertisers can better understand their audience. See an example. Meta also provides advertisers and their vendors with information about: - Ads and commercial content people engaged with, if any
- When people engaged with ads and commercial content
- Where that ad or commercial content was shown (for example, on Instagram, or on Facebook)
We also confirm which ads or commercial content you viewed that led you to take an action with an advertiser, such as downloading an advertiser's app. But we don't share information with these advertisers and their vendors that by itself can be used to contact or identify you, such as your name or email address, unless you give us permission.Audience Network publishers and their vendorsMeta Audience Network lets advertisers place ads with us that will be published on other apps and websites outside of Meta. To help show you ads on their apps and websites, we share information with publishers who use Audience Network, as well as vendors who facilitate that use. For example, we share: - How many people see and engage with ads on publisher apps
- Information related to or in response to a publisher’s request to serve an ad on its app.
But we don't share information with these publishers and their vendors that by itself can be used to contact or identify you, such as your name or email address, unless you give us permission. Partners who use our analytics servicesPeople rely on our Products, like business accounts, professional tools and Facebook Pages, to run and promote their businesses. Businesses use our analytics services to understand more about how people are using their content, features, products and services. To provide these services, we use the information we collect about you. We put this information into aggregate reports so that partners can see how well their content, features, products and services are performing and are able to understand things like users’ experience with such content, products and services. These reports aggregate information like: - How many people interacted with our partners' content, products or services
- The general demographics and interests of the people who interacted with it
- How people use our partners’ products and services to connect to Meta Products and the performance of their connection and networks
Advertisers also receive other information. Read our policy about how we share information with advertisers. Partners who offer goods or services on our Products and commerce services platformsWhen you choose to make a transaction, or otherwise choose to share information with a seller, creator, fundraiser, charity, payment services provider or commerce services platform, we share information with them and with any providers acting on their behalf. Depending on how you interact with them, they receive: - Information to complete your transaction, like order, payment, contact and shipping information
- Information to help ensure the security of the transaction, like information about your device or connection
- Any information required by applicable regulation
- Other information you choose to share with them
For example, if you make a purchase from an Instagram shop using checkout, the shop will receive information to complete your transaction. This may include your order items, your contact details and shipping information. If the shop uses a payment services provider, such as PayPal, to facilitate the transaction, the provider will receive the transaction amount, a transaction description (to appear on your credit card statement) and your payment card information, such as cardholder name, card number, expiration date and billing address. Learn more about payments on Instagram. Integrated partnersWhen you choose to use integrated partners’ products or services, they may receive information about you and your activity. Read the policy. VendorsMeasurement vendorsWe don’t create every measurement and analytics report ourselves. We share information (like whether people saw an ad or engaged with it) with our measurement vendors, who aggregate it to provide their reports. For example, an advertiser might ask a measurement vendor to help figure out the impact its ads on Facebook have had on sales. The measurement vendor compares information from us about clicks on the advertiser’s Facebook ads with information from the advertiser about product purchases. Then the measurement vendor creates and provides aggregated reports that show the advertiser how its ads are performing. Marketing vendorsWe share information about you with marketing vendors. For example, we share your device identifier or other identifiers with marketing vendors to help us serve you ads most relevant to your interests. Marketing vendors support our marketing and advertising efforts by: - Serving our advertisements across the internet, including on mobile, desktop and connected television devices
- Tracking and categorizing your online and mobile app activity
- Providing us information about your interests and community and advertising interactions
These marketing vendors help us understand who might find our advertising most relevant to their interests, and which of our Products might interest you. This information can be used to personalize which of our ads are shown to you. Marketing vendors also use this information to measure response to our marketing efforts and the effectiveness of our advertising. Learn more about how to manage the Meta ads you see off our Products. Service providersThird partiesExternal researchersWe provide information to external researchers. They use it to conduct research that advances scholarship and innovation, and to promote safety, security and integrity. Research goals include supporting: - Our business or mission
- Social good. Learn more.
- Technological advancement
- Safety and security on our Products
- Public interest
- Health and well-being
When sharing information with external researchers, we ensure the privacy of our users is protected. Learn more about the privacy-safe research we support. Other third partiesWe also share information with other third parties in response to legal requests, to comply with applicable law or to prevent harm. Read the policy. And if we sell or transfer all or part of our business to someone else, in some cases we’ll give the new owner your information as part of that transaction, but only as the law allows. How can you manage or delete your information and exercise your rights?Highlights- You have rights to view and download the information we have about you
- You can use the settings in this section to manage your privacy
- You also can delete your account or specific account information, if you want to
We offer you a variety of tools to view, manage, download and delete your information below. You can also manage your information by visiting the settings of the Products you use. You may also have other privacy rights under applicable laws. To exercise your rights, visit our Help Centers, your settings for Facebook and Instagram and your device-based settings. View and manage your informationPort, download or delete your informationYou can learn more about how privacy works on Facebook and on Instagram, and in the Facebook Help Center. If you have questions about this policy, you can contact us as described below. In some countries, you may also be able to contact the Data Protection Officer for Meta Platforms, Inc., and depending on your jurisdiction, you may also contact your local Data Protection Authority (“DPA”) directly. How long do we keep your information?Highlights- We keep information for as long as we need it to provide a feature or service
- But you can request that we delete your information
- We’ll delete that information unless we have to keep it for something else, like for legal reasons
We keep information as long as we need it to provide our Products, comply with legal obligations or protect our or other’s interests. We decide how long we need information on a case-by-case basis. Here’s what we consider when we decide: - If we need it to operate or provide our Products. For example, we need to keep some of your information to maintain your account. Learn more.
- The feature we use it for, and how that feature works. For example, messages sent using Messenger’s vanish mode are retained for less time than regular messages. Learn more.
- How long we need to retain the information to comply with certain legal obligations. See some examples.
- If we need it for other legitimate purposes, such as to prevent harm; investigate possible violations of our terms or policies; promote safety, security and integrity; or protect ourselves, including our rights, property or products
In some instances and for specific reasons, we’ll keep information for an extended period of time. Read our policy about when we may preserve your information. How do we transfer information?Highlights- Because we connect people all around the world, we need to transfer information all around the world, too
- When we do this, we follow international regulations to keep your information safe
Why is information transferred to other countries?- So we can operate and provide the services stated in the terms of the Meta Product you’re using and this Policy. This includes allowing you to share information and connect with your family and friends around the globe.
- So we can fix, analyze and improve our Products
Where is information transferred? Your information will be transferred or transmitted to, or stored and processed in: - Places we have infrastructure or data centers, including the United States, Ireland, Denmark and Sweden, among others
- Countries where Meta Company Products are available
- Other countries where our partners, vendors, service providers and other third parties are located outside of the country where you live, for purposes as described in this Policy
How do we safeguard your information?We also make sure that appropriate safeguards are in place whenever we transfer your information. For example, we encrypt your information when it’s in transit over public networks to protect it from unauthorized access. More resourcesHow do we respond to legal requests, comply with applicable law and prevent harm?Highlights- Sometimes we have to provide information to respond to legal requests when necessary
- If there’s a law that says we need to keep your information for some reason, we need to comply with it. So we’ll keep information to obey that law.
- We also sometimes keep information that we think will help prevent or stop bad activity, either on our Products or in the world
We access, preserve, use and share your information: - In response to legal requests, like search warrants, court orders, production orders or subpoenas. These requests come from third parties such as civil litigants, law enforcement and other government authorities. Learn more about when we respond to legal requests.
- In accordance with applicable law
- To promote the safety, security and integrity of Meta Products, users, employees, property and the public. Learn more.
We may access or preserve your information for an extended amount of time. Learn more. How will you know the policy has changed?We'll notify you before we make material changes to this Policy. You’ll have the opportunity to review the revised Policy before you choose to continue using our Products. Return to top |