Social network owned by Meta with 3 billion users. Ad-supported, fined over 2.5 billion euros by EU regulators.
- •Fined over 2.5 billion euros by EU regulators for GDPR violations since 2023
- •Tracks browsing activity across websites using Facebook Pixel, even for non-users
- •533 million user records leaked in 2021, 87 million profiles harvested in Cambridge Analytica scandal
- •Stores data on US servers, subject to US surveillance laws including FISA Section 702
- •Default settings favor maximum data collection. Users must opt out manually across multiple menus
- •Uses collected data to train AI models, with limited opt-out options for EU users
Facebook has over 3 billion monthly active users. Meta Platforms, the parent company since the 2021 rebrand, runs the platform on an advertising model. Your personal data, browsing habits, and social connections feed targeted ads. Meta reported $201 billion in revenue for 2025. Nearly all of it came from advertising.
Data collection goes well beyond what you post. Facebook Pixel tracks your activity across millions of external websites. Location data comes from GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi signals on your phone. Your contact list, purchase history, and photos all get analyzed for ad targeting. A December 2025 privacy policy update added data usage for training Meta's AI tools.
EU regulators have fined Meta repeatedly. The Irish Data Protection Commission issued a record 1.2 billion euro fine in 2023 for sending EU user data to the US without proper safeguards. A 91 million euro fine followed in 2024 after the company stored 600 million passwords in plaintext. Total EU fines now sit above 2.5 billion euros.
Worth knowing
Facebook's biggest strength is its network. Your friends, family, local groups, and event listings are there. That same network is also the main reason people stay, even when they want to leave.
Since January 2026, EU users get a reduced data sharing option. The catch: the alternative is a paid subscription for ad-free Facebook. Both options still collect data for other purposes, including AI training and running the platform.
- •Fined over 2.5 billion euros by EU regulators for GDPR violations since 2023
- •Tracks browsing activity across websites using Facebook Pixel, even for non-users
- •533 million user records leaked in 2021, 87 million profiles harvested in Cambridge Analytica scandal
- •Stores data on US servers, subject to US surveillance laws including FISA Section 702
- •Default settings favor maximum data collection. Users must opt out manually across multiple menus
- •Uses collected data to train AI models, with limited opt-out options for EU users
Bluesky
Take control of your social feed with an open, decentralized network where you pick the algorithm.
by Switch-to.eu
Other Alternatives
Mastodon
Own your social media feed. Mastodon is a free, open-source network from Germany with no ads, no algorithms, and no single company controlling your data.
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