Facebook collects location data despite deactivation

Facebook has admitted at the request of several US senators that they continuously collect location data, even if the user previously deactivated this feature.

In case of deactivating this feature, location data is collected, for example, by IP address mapping or user activity. This includes, for example, a self-conducted location-tag in a certain restaurant or at a special location, but also the case of being linked by friends to a photo that contains a location-tag.

In the letter that Senator Josh Hawley published on Twitter, Facebook states that they have only the best intentions in collecting the data. According to the statement, this is the only way, for example, to place personalized ads or inform a user when someone logs in to a completely different location than usual with their account.

While Facebook states that the location data – based on e.g. the IP address –  does not indicate an exact Location but only the postcode, for example, it means that there is no way for users to opt-out of the collection of location data.