While Internet users are rightfully concerned that the NSA has been tracking their emails and monitoring the websites they visit, they should be just as worried about the tracking by big businesses. Companies like Google and Facebook have been quietly recording everything their users do for many years, and that monitoring can be just as problematic and intrusive as what the government is doing.
Facebook has been monitoring the searches conducted by its users for some time now. Even if you think you have nothing to hide, just consider some of the things you may have searched for. Do you really want your spouse to know you looked up the profile of an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend? Everything you ever searched for on Facebook is there in your search history, just waiting to be data mined. Even things you looked for years ago and forgot about are there, waiting to come to light at exactly the wrong moment.
In addition to the potential embarrassment, consider that Facebook is using those search results to make money. If you do not like the idea of a private company profiting from your online activities, you can erase your search history and protect your online privacy.
Clearing your search history from Facebook is relatively easy. Just log into Facebook, look for the gear icon at the top right hand side of the screen and click the Activity Log button. Facebook uses the Activity Log to track your search history.
Go to the left hand column in the Activity Log and click on the More link. Scroll down until you see the Search link to see all of the searches you have conducted over the years. Click the Clear Searches link at the top right hand corner of the list to erase all of your previous searches.
Remember to check your search history often, since Facebook will continue to monitor and record the things you look for. Getting into the habit of clearing your search history every time you exit Facebook will help preserve your privacy and avoid embarrassment.
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