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Platform(s): MacOS Catalina (10.15.2) and an iPad (13.3).
Disclaimer: I'm in no way experienced or knowledgeable in anything relating to computers.
Background: I'm keen to cut ties with Facebook completely and thought I'd investigate if there are any Facebook files lurking around on my Mac to do whatever Facebook files likes to do; spying, stealing info, printing them out to Facebook staff parties to be tossed around and laughed at, have my profile pic framed on Zuckerberg's bathroom wall, selling all my info to sleazy companies selling underwear, etc.
Found: I found the following (*) files using Double Commander, scouring the entire drive.
*/System/iOSSupport/System/Library/AccessibilityBundles/FacebookSettings.axbundle
*/System/iOSSupport/System/Library/AccessibilityBundles/FacebookSettings.axbundle/Contents/MacOS/FacebookSettings
*/System/Library/Accounts/Access/FacebookAccessPlugin.bundle
*/System/Library/Accounts/Access/FacebookAccessPlugin.bundle/Contents/MacOS/FacebookAccessPlugin
*/System/Library/Accounts/Authentication/FacebookAuthenticationPlugin.bundle
*/System/Library/Accounts/Authentication/FacebookAuthenticationPlugin.bundle/Contents/MacOS/FacebookAuthenticationPlugin
*/System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/CalendarDraw.framework/Versions/A/Resources/FacebookIcon.tiff
*/System/Library/Frameworks/Quartz.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageKit.framework/Versions/A/Resources/profile-photo-facebook@2x.png
*/System/Library/Frameworks/Quartz.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageKit.framework/Versions/A/Resources/badge-facebook@2x.png
*/System/Library/Frameworks/Quartz.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageKit.framework/Versions/A/Resources/badge-facebook.png
*/System/Library/Frameworks/Quartz.framework/Versions/A/Frameworks/ImageKit.framework/Versions/A/Resources/profile-photo-facebook.png
*/System/Library/Frameworks/Social.framework/XPCServices/com.apple.facebook.xpc
*/System/Library/Frameworks/Social.framework/XPCServices/com.apple.facebook.xpc/Contents/MacOS/com.apple.facebook
*/System/Library/Frameworks/Social.framework/XPCServices/com.apple.facebook.xpc/Contents/Resources/FacebookContactUpdater
*/System/Library/Frameworks/Social.framework/XPCServices/com.apple.facebook.xpc/Contents/Resources/FacebookIcon.icns
*/System/Applications/News.app/Contents/Resources/facebook.js
*/System/Volumes/Data/Users/idontthinkso/Library/Caches/Firefox/Profiles/8joe3ovp.default-release/safebrowsing/social-tracking-protection-facebook-digest256.vlpset
*/System/Volumes/Data/Users/idontthinkso/Library/Caches/Firefox/Profiles/8joe3ovp.default-release/safebrowsing/social-tracking-protection-facebook-digest256.sbstore
Question: Are these all safe to delete?
Bonus question!: Maybe there's even a fancy Terminal command to delete files in this manner?
sekizuri
Posted 2019-12-17T19:07:23.353
Reputation: 11
Facebook doesn’t use files to track your online behavior. Unfortunately, since you have (or had) an account, they can track you all over the Internet. You can block some of that, but it takes effort. – Ron Trunk – 2019-12-18T02:18:49.093
By tracking me thru my MAC address and IP triangulation?
Or are there any other ways in which I’m being actively tracked? Lets say, assuming I’ve performed a clean install of my OS and wiped all data. – sekizuri – 2019-12-18T13:46:05.477
You can set fire to your PC and toss it into the ocean, but Facebook will still track you. They know your IP address. They know every time you visit any site that has the little Facebook icon (which is most major sites). They associate your IP address with your browser fingerprint, so they can identify your browser even if you IP address changes. Oh, and they exchange that info with Google, Apple, Amazon, etc., so it's pretty hard to escape them. – Ron Trunk – 2019-12-18T14:48:43.753