Facebook knows who all of your closest friends and family are. When you backpacked across Europe last summer, they went along on the trip. Remember that break up two years ago? Yeah, they were there. The breakfast you ate this morning? They probably have a picture of it.
They’re even right under your own feet.
Since Facebook already has access to the majority of your life, it only makes sense that they know where you are at all times too, right?
Facebook’s Location ‘Feature’
When you download Facebook for Android, there’s a receiver built into the application that captures your location. Every time you refresh the app, your location is attached to everything you do—posting statuses, sending messages, uploading pictures, and so on.
Oh, and did I mention that you can’t turn it off?
I mean, sure, you can turn off Location Services under your Settings, but that feature comes in handy when you need to use Google Maps or Yelp. Turning it off and on can become a hassle. So how can you get prevent Facebook from getting your location at all times?
Removing Facebook’s Ability to Track You
XDA member elesbb has decompiled the Facebook app’s code and removed all of the location privileges for Facebook. To install his location free version of Facebook, just follow along below.
Step 1: Download the App
Head over to the Mediafire link (v3.3) and tap on the green bar to start the download. The application gets updated frequently, so check out elesbb’s thread for the latest versions.
Step 2: Uninstall the Previous Version
Make sure your old Facebook app is uninstalled on your device. If not, you’ll get the prompt below. Even if you press OK, the application will not install.
Step 3: Login and Use
Once the app is installed, just enter your username and password and proceed like usual. With this version, you’ll not be able to check in, access nearby, view local ads, or do anything else that uses location privileges. If you do try and use any of these features, the new Facebook will force close.
Reverting Back
You may find that you miss some of the functions you’ll be giving up, but if you’re the type of person who likes to keep things a little more private, it’s worth sacrificing them. If you do decide you want location privileges back, simply uninstall the application and go back to the official version.
You can also check out Permission Manager, which can help manage and disable the permissions for any app you have installed.
Just updated your iPhone? You’ll find new emoji, enhanced security, podcast transcripts, Apple Cash virtual numbers, and other useful features. There are even new additions hidden within Safari. Find out what’s new and changed on your iPhone with the iOS 17.4 update.
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