Suck it, Zuck: How to Resist and Push Back at Meta

A User's Guide to Cutting Off Meta's Cash Flow

Photo by Thought Catalog on Unsplash

The majority of revenue that social media platforms generate from users like us comes from advertisements, data licensing, and subscriptions. While some platforms may struggle financially, Meta rakes in more than 95% of its revenue from advertising.

If you want to stay on Facebook but disrupt its revenue streams, here are some practical steps you can take:

Tip #1 - Stop Clicking Ads

• Don’t click on or interact with ads on the platform. Even hovering over ads can be tracked as engagement. Avoid commenting on or liking sponsored posts, as this signals interest to advertisers.

• If you see ads for products you like, visit the retailer’s website directly or search for it on Google. This way, you avoid generating revenue for Facebook through ad clicks.

Tip #2 - Limit your Time on the Platform

• Spend less time on Facebook. The less active you are, the less data the platform can collect and monetize.

Tip #3 - Avoid Paid Features

• Avoid subscribing to premium or paid services offered by the platform, such as Facebook Stars or Meta Verified.

Tip #4 - Create a Minimalist Profile

• Maintain a minimal profile with limited personal information. This reduces the amount of data advertisers can use to target you.

Tip #5 - Avoid Third-Party Integrations

• Don’t use third-party apps or log into other websites using your Facebook account. These integrations often share data with Facebook.

Tip #6 - Take Control of Your Data Settings [+Step-by-step instructions] 

Meta collects an enormous amount of data, much of which fuels its revenue streams but it dosn't always use this data responsbilty.

In 2022, Meta settled a $725 million lawsuit for selling user data and failing to disclose how it was being collected or used in the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Then in July 2024, Meta agreed to a US$1.4 billion settlement with Texas in a privacy lawsuit over allegations that the tech giant used biometric data of users without their permission

Fortunately, as a user, you can limit Meta’s access to your data. Follow these steps:

1. Click the down arrow on your profile image in the upper-right corner of your screen. Select “Settings & Privacy” and then “Settings.”

   
   

2. On the new page, locate the box on the left side labelled “Meta Accounts Center.” Click “See more in the Accounts Center” at the bottom of the box.

   
   

3. On the Accounts Center page, select “Your information and permissions” on the left-hand side.

   • Under this menu, choose “Your activity off Meta technologies” (the sixth option). This setting tracks data from sites you visit outside of Facebook.

   
   

4. Click “Clear previous activity” (second choice from the bottom).

   
   

5. Click “Manage future activity” (last option) and select “Disconnect future activity.”

   
   

6. Close the pop-up by clicking the “X” in the upper-right corner.

   
   

7. Still on the Accounts Center page, select “Ad preferences” and go to the “Manage info” tab on the right-hand side.

   • For each “using this information,” turn the option off.

If you’ve connected Facebook and Instagram through Meta, these settings should apply to both platforms. If not, you can access Instagram’s settings and follow similar steps.

While these steps won’t completely cut off Meta’s revenue stream, they can reduce your contribution and signal dissatisfaction with their practices.

Wait, why are people turning on Meta?

Meta has been involved in its share of scandals and problematic behaviour over the years (see above data misuse). If you’re someone who has empathy and cares about your fellow human, some of these recent points may not sit well with you:

• Discontinuing Third-Party Fact-Checking: Meta stopped third-party fact-checking, allowing misinformation to spread unchecked. For example, Russian propagandists were found to have spread misinformation before the 2016 U.S. election.

• Political Contributions: Meta donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration.

• Problematic Staffing Choices: Meta hired Joel Kaplan, a longtime Republican lobbyist, as its Chief Global Affairs Officer, and Dana White, a top Trump ally, to its board.

• Competition Cancelling Lobbying: Meta lobbied US Congress on issues to pass legislation that resulted in banning TikTok (ironic when Zuck was recently arguing with legislators that they were overstepping into his business practices.) 

• Dismantling DEI Efforts: Meta cut its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) team and ended programs focused on sourcing diverse suppliers and using diverse-slate hiring approaches. (looks like they’ve decided that racism and sexism have been solved...YAY...sarcasm)

• Quiet Policy Changes: Meta quietly updated its hateful conduct policy to allow posts referring to women as “household objects or property” and to dehumanize transgender or non-binary people by calling them “it.”

Meta’s alignment with Trump and MAGA-friendly policies will lead to increased political content—but without fact-checking, opening the door for malicious actors.

“The burden now falls on you to find sources of information you trust for reliable truth. That means better scrutinizing not only the publications you choose but also the individuals you follow on social media. That's a lot to ask—but it's the new necessity.” Axios: Behind the Curtain: The information gods

Share these tips with friends and family to protect your data and collectively diminish Facebook’s ad and data revenue potential.

Want to show your displeasure with Meta's recent policy changes in other ways? Join the weeklong boycott of all of Meta apps.