How Meta tracked your mobile browsing on Android without consent

If you visited adult sites on your Android device via incognito browsing sessions or a VPN while also logged into Facebook and Instagram, Meta might … The post How Meta tracked your mobile browsing on Android without consent appeared first on BGR.

Jun 4, 2025 - 22:40

How Meta tracked your mobile browsing on Android without consent

iPhone data stolen by third-party notifications

If you visited adult sites on your Android device via incognito browsing sessions or a VPN while also logged into Facebook and Instagram, Meta might know about it. Not only that, Meta might know what you watched, what you clicked, and what you bought.

Regardless of what you were doing on your device, if you did it on an Android phone while logged into Meta’s social networks, Meta was likely tracking it.

What will Meta do with all that extra data it collects about you? It’ll use the data to serve personalized ads that match your most recent interests.

The method Meta used is incredibly abusive, as the company did it without obtaining consent from the user. Instead, Meta used Android browsers to link browsing history to Facebook and Instagram profiles. Even Google, which has its own history of tracking users without consent, called the procedure a “blatant violation” of its security principles.

Meta stopped the tracking this week, but even if it were to continue, Google is already patching Chrome. I wouldn’t be surprised to see regulators investigate Meta’s behavior next, especially in jurisdictions like the EU, which have stronger privacy protections for users.

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How Meta tracked your mobile browsing on Android without consent originally appeared on BGR.com on Wed, 4 Jun 2025 at 13:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.