What Facebook's privacy policy allows may surprise you
NEW YORK (AP) — To get an idea of the data Facebook collects about you, just ask for it. You'll get a file with every photo and comment you've posted, all the ads you've clicked on, stuff you've liked and searched for and everyone you've friended — and unfriended — over the years.
This trove of data is used to decide which ads to show you. It also makes using Facebook more seamless and enjoyable — say, by determining which posts to emphasize in your feed, or reminding you of friends' birthdays.
Facebook claims to protect all this information, and it lays out its terms in a privacy policy that's relatively clear and concise. But few users bother to read it.