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Frustrated by Meta’s Policy Changes? Here’s How to Limit Its Profits

by Josh Kirschner on January 27, 2025

Facebook's parent company, Meta, recently made controversial decisions to both end its third-party fact-checking program and relax restrictions on hate speech. Facebook claims these changes are part of a broader push to promote free expression, but critics warn they could fuel misinformation and harmful content. Others are very concerned that Meta’s relaxed hate speech rules could lead to increased targeting of marginalized communities.

With these policies in place, along with the general degradation of the Facebook New Feed in favor of ads and clickbait recommended pages, many of us are starting to question our continued presence on Facebook. However, leaving Facebook entirely isn’t an easy choice for everyone – whether because of the strong social connections we maintain with friends and family, our participation in various interest groups, or reliance on Facebook for our business activities. For those who wish to remain on Meta’s platforms (and I count myself as one of them, for now) while limiting financial support, there are effective strategies to undermine the company’s revenue model.

Meta’s profitability is deeply tied to its ability to collect and monetize user data. The company generates the majority of its revenue from highly targeted advertising, which is powered by personal information gathered from your activity both on and off its platforms. By reducing the amount of data Meta can collect about us, and by limiting its use of our data for advertising purposes, we directly impact the precision and value of its ad targeting. The less personalized the ads Meta can serve, the less advertisers are willing to pay for them.

This guide provides actionable steps to minimize Meta’s access to your data and diminish its ability to generate revenue from your activity, while allowing you to stay connected with your friends, family, and professional networks.

1. Prevent Meta from Using External Data for Ad Targeting

Meta tracks your behavior on apps and websites outside of its platforms to refine its advertising algorithms. You'll find this setting in the Accounts Center:

Open your account settings in Facebook or Instagram.
On mobile (Android or iOS): tap your profile picture in the upper right, then tap the gear icon and Accounts Center.
On your computer: click your profile picture in the upper right, select Settings & privacy, click Settings, then click Account Center in the left column.

Once you're in the Accounts Center:

Select Ad Preferences > Activity Information from Ad Partners (on the Manage info tab).
Disable the use of external activity for ad targeting.

By turning off this feature, you reduce the data Meta uses to serve you personalized ads, making its ad targeting less effective.

2. Stop Meta from Sharing Your Data with External Advertisers

Meta’s advertising network allows your information to be used to target you with ads on third-party apps and websites. You can prevent this:

Go to Accounts Center (see above) > Ad Preferences > Ads Shown Outside of Meta.
Select the option to disallow the use of your data for ads on other platforms.

This step reduces Meta’s ability to profit from ad targeting outside its ecosystem, lowering its overall advertising reach.

3. Disconnect External Data Sharing with Meta

Many businesses and apps share your data with Meta to enhance its advertising capabilities. You can disconnect this external data sharing:

Visit Accounts Center (see above) > Your Information and Permissions > Your Activity Off Meta Technologies.
Turn off future activity sharing and clear your history.

Disconnecting external data sharing disrupts Meta’s ability to create detailed user profiles, further diminishing the value of its ad targeting.

4. Adjust Your Facebook and Instagram Privacy Settings

Even within Meta’s platforms, you can reduce the data they collect. Our Complete Guide to Facebook Privacy Settings provides comprehensive instructions on how to:

Restrict your posts and profile information to specific audiences.
Minimize ad targeting by reviewing and managing ad preferences.
Disable location tracking and off-platform activity monitoring.

5. Consider Deleting Your Facebook Account

For those ready to take the ultimate step, deleting your account entirely cuts Meta off from your data. Our How to Delete Your Facebook Account Permanently guide walks you through the process.