Meta · Meta Privacy Policy

Sensitive Data Inference Without Explicit Consent

High severity
Share 𝕏 Share in Share

What it is

We infer your interests based on your activity. For example, we make inferences about things like your age range, your interests, and your political views, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation based on what you do on and off Meta Products and information that you and others provide.

Why it matters

Processing inferences about political views, religion, health, and sexual orientation constitutes special category data processing under GDPR Article 9, which requires explicit consent — a higher legal standard than Meta's current approach.

Consumer impact

Meta's policy authorizes collection of an exceptionally broad range of personal data — including location, biometric features, financial information, browsing history across third-party sites, and sensitive inferences about health and political views — primarily to serve targeted advertising. Non-users who have never created a Meta account are also subject to data collection when they visit sites using Meta's tracking tools such as the Meta Pixel. You can review and limit off-platform tracking by visiting Facebook Settings > Your Facebook Information > Off-Facebook Activity and clearing or restricting that data.

What you can do

⚠️ These actions may provide transparency or partial mitigation but may not fully address the underlying issue. Effectiveness varies by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.
  • Opt out
    Go to Facebook Settings > Ads > Ad Preferences > Ad Settings. Disable 'Ads based on data from partners' and 'Ads based on your activity on Facebook Company Products' to limit use of inferred interests for ad targeting.

Applicable agencies

  • FTC
    FTC has authority under Section 5 and the 2019 Meta consent decree over deceptive data practices including undisclosed sensitive inference for advertising.
    File a complaint →

Provision details

Document information
Document
Meta Privacy Policy
Entity
Meta
Document last updated
March 24, 2026
Tracking information
First tracked
March 6, 2026
Last verified
April 4, 2026
Record ID
CA-P-001935
Document ID
CA-D-00021
Evidence Provenance
Source URL
Wayback Machine
SHA-256
b1a255c7398bbe7782a1515d8b3f44d46d84b5c925a280a05a176e2174258b1a
Verified
✓ Snapshot stored   ✓ Change verified
How to Cite
ConductAtlas Policy Archive
Entity: Meta | Document: Meta Privacy Policy | Record: CA-P-001935
Captured: 2026-03-06 20:46:36 UTC | SHA-256: b1a255c7398bbe77…
URL: https://conductatlas.com/platform/meta/meta-privacy-policy/sensitive-data-inference-without-explicit-consent/
Accessed: April 4, 2026
Classification
Severity
High
Categories

Other provisions in this document