Download and protect your Facebook data in just a few clicks

The Facebook privacy scandal has users demanding to see how much the social media giant knows about them and how they can limit the amount of data they're giving out.

The bad news is that your data may already be out in the wild and in the hands of third party advertisers. The good news is that you can download a copy of your data and prevent its future spread in just a few clicks.

Download a copy of your Facebook data

1. Go to your Facebook homepage and click "Settings" from the top-right drop down menu.

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For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCentrist think tank warns 2028 Democrats against swinging too far left on immigration

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRussia’s secrecy after a mysterious plague lab death raises global alarm

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAfter surviving a botched lethal injection, Christa Pike faces unprecedented legal battle

FOR SUBSCRIBERSHunger in a land of plenty: Major food banks face ‘heartbreaking’ need, NBC News survey finds

FOR SUBSCRIBERSInflation and tariffs push U.S. holiday spending projections to a record $1.7 trillion

FOR SUBSCRIBERSWhat happened inside the room where officials tried to execute Christa Pike by lethal injection

FOR SUBSCRIBERSHow we reported the saga of the CIA officer and his gold-bar stash

FOR SUBSCRIBERSBrad Raffensperger gears up to oversee his final election in Georgia

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDiddy is punished following NBC News report on his VIP life in prison and contraband cellphone use

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘Too young to vote, old enough to be tear gassed’: French protesters’ anger swells

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDOJ gets aggressive in suing states that challenge Trump’s immigration policies

FOR SUBSCRIBERSJustice Department seeks criminal charge for former Trump aide Cassidy Hutchinson

FOR SUBSCRIBERS‘I just want to hold him’: USS Lincoln sailor to meet his 10-month-old son as ship docks

FOR SUBSCRIBERSSenate candidates run on raising Social Security taxes for higher incomes to prevent benefit cuts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRussian operation that used ChatGPT tricked schools, a politician and media, OpenAI says

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2. Scroll to the bottom and select "Download a copy of your Facebook data."

3. The site will take a short while to make a file of all your data. Wait a few minutes and then the site will notify you in the platform and via email that your data is ready.

4. Click "Download archive."

5. Enter your password.

6. Save it to your desktop.

Stop apps from sharing your data

1. Go to your Facebook homepage and click "settings" from the top-right drop down menu.

2. Click "Apps.”

3. You'll see a screen with four boxes. Under "Apps, Websites, Plugins," click "Edit.”

4. Click "Disable platform."

This will stop you from logging in to websites using just your Facebook credentials and you may have to create new accounts or log in another way.

Limit what data apps can share

1. Go to your Facebook homepage and click "Settings" from the top-right drop down menu.

2. Click "Apps."

3. You'll see a screen with four boxes.

4. Under "Apps others use," click "Edit."

5. De-select every button for every bit of personal information you're not comfortable sharing with data marketers.

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