Facebook launches tool that lets users see and control data shared with apps, websites

Facebook is making it easier for users to see and control the data that apps and websites share with the social network by launching a new tool called Off-Facebook Activity. The new feature will be gradually rolled out to Facebook users in Ireland, South Korea, and Spain. However, Off-Facebook Activity will be made available to everywhere over the coming months, so don't lose hope if you're not living in any of these countries.

But what exactly is Off-Facebook Activity and is it as useful as Facebook claims? Well, first off, you can see a summary of the information other app and websites have sent Facebook through its online business tools, including Facebook Pixel and Facebook Login.

Also, you will be able to disconnect all the information you see from your account if you want to. On top of that, you can choose to disconnect future off-Facebook activity from your account. Facebook says that you'll be able to do that for all your off-Facebook activity, or just for specific apps and websites.

Once you clear your off-Facebook activity, the social network will remove your identifying info from the data that apps and websites choose to send to Facebook. Basically, Facebook will no longer know which websites a user visits or what they did during their visit.

Also, Facebook says that it will not use any of the data that users disconnect to target ads to them on apps like Facebook, Instagram or Messenger. The social network expects some impact on its business but believes giving people control over their data is more important.