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Meta link history archive
In a recent update, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has confirmed the widespread rollout of its Link History archive feature. Although not entirely novel, as select regions have experienced its phased introduction over the past few months, Meta has now officially declared its availability to all users on Android and iOS platforms. However, desktop users are still awaiting this feature.
Interacted link retrieval
The Link History archive, as described in the provided pop-up notification, offers users a convenient way to locate and revisit links accessed within the Facebook app. Meta explains, “When link history is on, any links that you’ve tapped inside of Facebook and visited in Facebook’s Mobile Browser will be saved here for 30 days.” This creates a personalized archive facilitating the retrieval of previously explored links.
User control and privacy
It’s noteworthy that links visited through private chats on Messenger do not get stored in the Link History. Users also retain the ability to delete specific links from their history at any given time, providing a sense of control over their archived content.
Implications
While the Link History Archive may not be a groundbreaking feature, it adds another layer to Facebook’s suite of tools for tracking user activity. Meta hints at using this information to tailor more relevant ads to users, creating a potential trade-off between personalized content and user privacy. Users concerned about ad relevance can navigate to “Ad Preferences” to manage their preferences and remove any links that might influence targeting.
The exact timeline for the global rollout of the Link History Archive remains undisclosed. However, Meta assures that the expansion is underway for all mobile users, promising an enhanced and more personalized Facebook experience shortly.
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