The service offers some meaningful privacy controls and does not sell personal data, but it collects and shares a lot of information, heavily personalizes ads, and gives itself broad moderation, licensing, and retention powers. Overall it is not unusually hostile, but users should expect significant data use and limited control over public content.
Facebook’s legal terms are fairly detailed and give Meta broad rights to host, use, and promote content and ads, while also reserving strong enforcement powers over accounts and content. The documents include some user-friendly elements like advance notice for material terms changes, no sale of personal data to advertisers, deletion and portability tools, and consumer-court language for some disputes. However, data collection is extensive, public content can spread widely, and deletion may take up to 90 days plus backup retention.
Points of interest
Meta collects information you provide, your activity, devices, contacts, and data from partners and third parties. In practice, this means Facebook can build a very detailed profile even from activity outside the app.
"“We collect information you provide, information about your activity and devices, and information from partners and third parties”"
The policy says Meta receives information through cookies, pixels, and similar technologies from other websites and apps. This can connect your off-Facebook browsing and app activity back to your account or ad profile.
"“We also receive information using cookies and similar technologies, like the Meta Pixel or Social Plugins”"
Some information is public by default, and public content can be viewed, reshared, downloaded, and even appear off Meta. Users should assume public posts may travel far beyond Facebook.
"“When content is public, it can be seen by anyone on or across our Products, and in some cases off our Products”"
By posting content, you grant Meta a worldwide, sublicensable license to use, modify, distribute, and create derivatives. That gives Meta wide operational freedom to reuse what you upload while it remains on its systems.
"“you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, and worldwide license”"
Account or content deletion can take up to 90 days, plus another 90 days to remove copies from backups and disaster recovery systems. Some content can also be retained longer for legal, safety, or technical reasons.
"“It may take up to 90 days to delete content... it may take us up to another 90 days to remove it from backups”"
Meta states it does not sell your personal data to advertisers and does not share directly identifying information without permission. That is better than a true data-selling model, though it still uses your data for ad targeting.
"“We don’t sell your personal data to advertisers”"
You can delete individual content, delete your account, and trash items begin a deletion process automatically after 30 days. The policy also says deleted items are removed from visibility while deletion is pending.
"“You can learn more about how privacy works on Facebook ... Port, download or delete your information”"
Facebook uses your personal data to show personalized ads and sponsored content, including across Meta products and sometimes off-platform. Even though Meta says it does not sell your personal data, your activity is still used for targeted advertising.
"“We use your personal data to help determine which personalized ads to show you.”"
Meta can remove content, restrict features, suspend, disable, or delete accounts for serious or repeated violations, often in its discretion. Some review explanations may be withheld for safety, legal, or technical reasons.
"“we may suspend or permanently disable your access... and we may permanently disable or delete your account”"
Meta says you can download your information and, in some cases and subject to law, port it. This gives users at least some ability to take their data elsewhere.
"“You can download your information in some cases”"
For consumers, disputes are governed by the law of your country and may be brought in competent local courts. That is more user-friendly than forcing all users into a distant arbitration forum.
"“you may resolve your claim in any competent court in that country”"
Meta says it will notify users at least 30 days before material Terms changes, unless the change is required by law. That gives users a chance to review updates before they take effect.
"“We will notify you... at least 30 days before we make changes to these Terms”"
Other Social services on AIgree
Compare Facebook with…
The 7 clauses that actually matter, the red flags to watch for, in 5 minutes.
Report a problem with this summary
Spot something wrong, missing, or misleading? Tell us — we review every report.
Spot something wrong, missing, or misleading? Tell us — we review every report.
Thanks — your report was submitted and will be reviewed.
Documents
Terms of Service
source ↗- •Meta Platforms, Inc. provides Facebook and related Meta Products under these Terms, and you must not use them if you do not agree.
- •You agree to provide accurate account information, use one personal account, keep your password private, and not create new accounts after certain bans without permission.
- •You must not misuse Meta Products, including unlawful or infringing content, malware or spam, unauthorized automated data access, or circumventing access controls.
- •Meta may remove content, restrict features, and suspend or disable accounts for serious or repeated Terms or policy violations, and may reserve certain review explanations.
- •You give Meta a license to host and use content you share, and the license generally ends when the content is deleted from Meta systems, with limited backup delays.
- •Content and account deletion can take up to 90 days, and some content may be retained longer for reasons like legal obligations, safety, or technical limits.
- •Meta may use your data to personalize ads and determine ad delivery, and it generally does not sell your personal data or share direct identifiers with advertisers without permission.
- •Meta limits liability by providing services “as is,” disclaiming warranties, and limiting damages to the fullest extent allowed by law.
- •Disputes with consumers are handled under the law of your country and local competent courts, while other disputes are mainly in California courts with California law applied.
- •If you disagree with updated Terms, you must stop using and can delete your account; the Terms can be updated with advance notice when required.
Privacy Policy
source ↗- •Meta collects information you provide, information about your activity and devices, and information from partners and third parties, including via cookies and pixels.
- •Meta uses this information to provide and personalize Products, show ads and measure performance, improve safety and integrity, and communicate with you.
- •Some information is public by default depending on your settings, and public content can be viewed on and off Meta and reshared by others.
- •Integrated partners may access some of your public information automatically, and may receive additional information when you grant permission or interact with their services.
- •Meta shares information across Meta Companies for functions like safety, feature development, and analytics, and it may preserve and share information for legal requests.
- •Meta transfers information globally for processing and storage, and states it uses safeguards like encryption in transit and appropriate transfer mechanisms.
- •You can manage or delete information through product settings, download your information in some cases, and request portability in certain situations.
- •Meta keeps information as long as needed for the Product, legal compliance, and safety, and may retain data longer for legal, security, or litigation reasons.
- •Deleting account or content may take up to 90 days to delete after requests start, and may take up to 90 more days to remove from backups; deleted items in trash begin deletion automatically.
- •Meta says it will notify users before material privacy policy changes and provides contact details for privacy questions and requests.