Meta accused of tracking Android users in Incognito mode

• Meta, a company, has been accused of tracking Android users' online activity.
• Meta's tracking method bypassed key privacy tools, including incognito mode.
• The incident raises questions about the security of iPhones compared to Androids.

Meta has come under scrutiny after researchers discovered that the company quietly tracked Android users’ online behavior, even while they used incognito mode or a VPN. Although Meta recently paused the tracking method, it had already sparked major concerns about user privacy.

Professor Günes Acar of Radboud University brought this tracking method to light. His research revealed that Meta collected private browsing data through a clever and controversial use of the Meta Pixel. Embedded in many popular websites, this script interacted with the Facebook and Instagram apps installed on the same Android device.

As a result, Meta recorded what users viewed, clicked, or purchased online—even when users believed they were using private browsing tools to protect their online activity.

Meta’s tracking method bypassed key privacy tools, ignoring incognito mode, VPNs, and Android’s app sandboxing. Although users trusted these features to safeguard their online activity, Meta’s hidden tracking continued to operate despite them.

The core goal of this data collection was to refine personalized advertising by aligning ads on Facebook and Instagram with users’ most recent browsing behavior. However, collecting this data without user consent has sparked widespread outrage and concern.

Industry Reactions:

Google has acknowledged that Meta’s method clashes with its security and privacy principles and is now developing Chrome patches to block such tracking in the future. Mozilla is also preparing a fix for Firefox.

Meta, on the other hand, described the practice as an “issue” and claimed to be cooperating with Google to resolve it, though it has yet to explain why it never included user consent in the process.

Since the tracking only affected Android users, the incident raises a broader question: Are iPhones more secure than Androids? As privacy concerns grow, this revelation may influence users' decisions when choosing their devices in the future.

Although Meta has paused the practice, the incident serves as a wake-up call, revealing how easily companies can bypass privacy promises. When even “incognito” mode fails to offer protection, users are left questioning what they can truly rely on.

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