Facebook’s latest link history feature retains all visited links in the browser within the Android and iOS mobile app. To check if link history is enabled, navigate to the Facebook app -> menu icon -> expand Settings & privacy -> Link history. To disable it, go to Menu -> Settings & privacy -> Settings -> Browser -> toggle off the “Allow link history” option -> Select ‘Don’t allow.’
Meta, Facebook’s parent company, is making waves with its new link history feature. This feature allows users to easily revisit all tapped and visited links within the Facebook app, eliminating the need for bookmarks. However, keeping this feature enabled poses privacy concerns, allowing Facebook access to your online activity. How can you disable link history on Facebook? How does it work? This article unveils the answers, so read on.
What Actually is Link History on Facebook?
The Facebook link history feature stores all the links you visit within the Facebook app on Android and iOS. When you tap on a link in the app, it opens in the Facebook mobile browser. The feature tracks this data from the in-app mobile browser, saving it to the link history section on Facebook.
However, according to the Meta support page, the feature is unavailable on computers and is limited to the Facebook app for Android and iOS. Meta also mentions that with the feature enabled, your link history information may be used “to improve your ads across Meta Technologies.”
Although the support page claims the feature is disabled by default, our testing revealed it was turned on in some cases and off in others.
How to Know if Facebook Link History is Turned on
To check if Facebook link history is enabled and view it, follow these steps:
- In the Facebook app, tap on the menu icon (your profile picture) in the top right corner on Android or bottom right corner on iOS.
- In the profile menu, scroll down and expand the Settings & privacy panel.
- Locate the Link history section and tap on it.
- If you see the message “Want to see your link history” with an ‘Allow link history‘ button, it means link history is turned off. However, if you see a list of website links, the feature is turned on.
How to Turn Off Facebook Link History (Android & iOS)
Given that the setting was turned on by default in our case, it may be the same for you. In such a scenario, it is advisable to disable this setting. If you are uncomfortable with Facebook collecting links you visit in-app and wish to turn it off, there are two methods to do so.
Here’s how to turn off link history on Facebook:
Method 1: From Facebook Settings
- Again, go to the profile menu on your Android or iOS device. Scroll down and expand the Settings & privacy section.
- Select Settings and navigate to the Browser section under the Preferences tab.
- Toggle off the “Allow link history” setting.
- Confirm your choice by tapping on ‘Don’t allow‘ in the pop-up window.
Method 2: From In-App Browser
- Tap and open a link within the Facebook app, and it will open in Facebook’s in-app browser.
- Then, tap the three-dot menu in the top right corner on Android or the bottom right corner on iOS.
- From the options in the pop-up, choose ‘Go to settings‘ at the bottom.
- Toggle off the “Allow link history” setting, and tap ‘Don’t allow‘ to disable the feature in your Facebook app.
Note:
Once you disable link history, the deletion process for link history information may take up to 90 days. While it doesn’t instantly delete tracked link history, it immediately clears your existing link history and stops saving any links you visit going forward.
Considering Facebook’s notorious history of data collection, this may not be its most user-friendly move. The 90-day duration for link history information deletion raises concerns, particularly in light of Meta’s ad targeting challenges with Apple’s App Tracking Transparency.
It appears more as an effort to enhance Meta’s ad targeting capabilities than a user-centric feature for viewing visited web pages. Moreover, having the feature turned on by default rather than off does not favor Facebook’s case.
Share your thoughts on the link history feature on Facebook in the comments below!