Facebook's 'clear history' tool doesn't actually 'clear' anything

You can "disconnect," but you can't delete.
By Karissa Bell  on 
Facebook's 'clear history' tool doesn't actually 'clear' anything
Facebook's clear history is here ... sort of. Credit: justin sullivan / Getty Images

It's finally here. More than a year after Mark Zuckerberg took the stage at Facebook's 2018 F8 conference and announced plans to create a "clear history" tool that would let users remove browsing data from Facebook, the company has something to show for it.

After numerous delays, they're now starting to roll out the "clear history" feature. The catch? It doesn't actually "clear" any of your data at all.

Instead, the new privacy feature will allow users to "disconnect" their "off-Facebook activity" from their account, meaning their browsing data will be separated from their account information. This will help reduce some kinds of targeted advertisements, but it won't actually remove any of your data from Facebook's servers, or prevent the company from using that data. And Facebook will still track people who don't use its service at all.

In a blog post, Facebook engineers suggested the reason they opted to "disconnect" data rather than allow users to delete it entirely is because deletion would be too time-consuming and possibly unreliable.

"Attempting to delete information from various databases across many different tables and rows would take time and may not work reliably," the engineers wrote, referring to the way Facebook's data is stored. "The quicker, more reliable method would be to disconnect it directly from a person’s account."

Mashable Image
Facebook's new 'clear history' tool. Credit: facebook

Think about that: For Facebook, which holds more than $40 billion in cash and hires some of the best engineers in the world, actually removing users' data from its systems is simply too hard. (Not mentioned is the fact that Facebook also has little incentive do so, as it would disrupt its advertising business even more.)

Somewhat confusingly, the feature, which will initially only be available in Spain, Ireland, and South Korea, will still be labeled "clear history" in Facebook's app. The app will also let users view whatever browsing data the company has collected from websites that use Facebook's like button, login features, or pixel tracking. And you can opt to "disconnect" your future browsing activity from your account — though, again, this won't prevent Facebook from collecting data about your activity in the first place.

That all may seem like a bit of a letdown for anyone who was hoping "clear history" might finally allow them to take back some of their personal information from Facebook. But even though it's much more watered down than what some had hoped for, the new controls could have a significant impact on Facebook's advertising revenue.

That alone could be enough incentive for some Facebook users to enable the new privacy settings. But most of Facebook's 1 billion users won't have the opportunity to even do this for some time. The company says the feature won't be widely available for several months.

Mashable Image
Karissa Bell

Karissa was Mashable's Senior Tech Reporter, and is based in San Francisco. She covers social media platforms, Silicon Valley, and the many ways technology is changing our lives. Her work has also appeared in Wired, Macworld, Popular Mechanics, and The Wirecutter. In her free time, she enjoys snowboarding and watching too many cat videos on Instagram. Follow her on Twitter @karissabe.


Recommended For You

LinkedIn is testing a TikTok-like video feed
The LinkedIn app and logo is seen on a digital device.


Twitch streamer Ninja shares cancer diagnosis
A man sits in front of a computer wearing a headset. On the right is a screenshot of an X post.


Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for March 28
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'

NYT's The Mini crossword answers for March 28
Closeup view of crossword puzzle clues

Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for March 28
a phone displaying Wordle

NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for March 27
A phone displaying the New York Times game 'Connections.'

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!