---
answer: direct
beat: ai-society
source: 1 article · updated: July 17, 2026
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Does clearing 'Off-Facebook Activity' actually delete your data?

No. Consumer Reports and MIT Technology Review both confirmed the tool only disconnects the activity from your identifiable profile and stops it being used for ad targeting on your account. Meta keeps the underlying data it already received, and any copies already shared with third parties are untouched.

Answered in

How Meta Actually Tracks You: Inside Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp's Surveillance Machine

A localhost backdoor beat Incognito Mode. Instagram DMs lost encryption entirely. Here's how Meta's tracking machine really works, fact by fact.

Crashtech Editorial July 17, 2026 AI & Society

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