Facebook collects a significant amount of data on its users, including their search history on the platform. This raises an important question – does Facebook search history delete itself over time, or is it stored indefinitely?
The Short Answer
No, Facebook search history does not automatically delete itself. The search history is stored indefinitely unless the user manually deletes it. There is no set amount of time after which Facebook will automatically delete search history data.
Examining Facebook’s Data Retention Policies
To understand whether search history deletes itself, we need to look at Facebook’s own data retention policies. These policies determine how long different types of data, including search history, are stored on Facebook’s servers.
According to their Data Policy, Facebook stores data “until your account is deleted.” This implies that search history is retained indefinitely as long as you have an active Facebook account.
Facebook does say that in some cases they may retain certain data even after account deletion if it is necessary to “prevent harm.” However, there is no indication that search history falls into this category that could be retained post-account deletion.
The following key points are evident about Facebook’s data retention policies:
- There is no set expiry date for search history data.
- Search history remains available on Facebook as long as your account is active.
- Deleting your account may allow you to remove your search history.
- Facebook may retain some select data for safety purposes even after account deletion.
Based on these official policies, we can conclude that Facebook does not automatically or periodically delete search history data. The responsibility lies with each user to remove search history they do not want stored on Facebook servers.
How Long Does Other Activity Data Last on Facebook?
To provide some context around Facebook’s retention policies, here is a look at how long some other types of user activity data is stored on their servers:
- Posts: Stored indefinitely unless deleted by the user.
- Connections: Friends list is stored until the account is deleted.
- Messages: Stored indefinitely but disappear if either user deletes the conversation.
- Groups: Past group memberships and admin roles are stored indefinitely after leaving.
- Events: Events you responded to attending are stored indefinitely.
As you can see, Facebook stores most user activity data for an indefinite period, particularly when it comes to data that provides them useful insights into each user’s preferences and behavior over time.
Is Facebook Search History Deletion Mandated by Law?
There are no federal laws in the United States that mandate companies like Facebook to delete user search history after a certain time period. A few key points on laws and regulations on this issue:
- The Electronic Communications Privacy Act places restrictions on government and authorities from accessing private online data, but does not impose requirements on companies.
- California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants users the right to request their data be deleted, but the burden of requesting deletion lies with individuals.
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU requires that companies only retain personally identifiable data for as long as necessary.
While regulations like GDPR provide more protection around user data, there are no laws that impose a mandatory expiration date for search history data stored by Facebook.
Can You Manually Delete Facebook Search History?
Since Facebook search history does not expire or get deleted automatically, the only way to remove it is to manually delete it.
Here are the steps to manually clear your Facebook search history:
- Click on the search bar at the top of your Facebook window.
- A dropdown will appear showing your recent searches. Click on “See All”.
- This will open your complete search history page, which shows everything you’ve searched for while logged into Facebook.
- Go through your history and delete individual searches using the “X” icon next to each one.
- To bulk delete, click on the “More” button and select “Clear Searches.”
The steps are simple enough, but can be time consuming if you have a long search history. Also keep in mind that deleting search history does not delete data like posts, connections, or other activity tied to those searches.
Limitations of Manual Deletion
Here are some important limitations to be aware of when manually deleting Facebook search history:
- You have to delete each search one by one, which can be tedious.
- All search history may not appear on the ‘See All’ page, since FB filters some data.
- Deleted searches may continue to influence ads and recommendations you see.
- Any data created as a result of your searches remains unaffected.
Overall, while manual deletion provides some control over your search history, it is not guaranteed to fully eliminate the impact of your past searches.
How to Minimize New Search History Data
In addition to manually deleting past search history, you can also be proactive about minimizing the amount of new search data that Facebook collects moving forward.
Here are some tips to limit search history:
- Avoid searching directly on Facebook. Use external search engines when possible.
- Enable ‘Off Facebook Activity’ tracking to limit external site data.
- Use Facebook in incognito mode on browsers whenever feasible.
- Periodically clear search history using the steps outlined earlier.
- Close inactive sessions instead of staying perpetually logged in.
Exercising caution around what you search for on Facebook, and limiting your use of their internal search features, can help reduce the extent of search history data they collect.
The Impact of Facebook Search History
Now that we’ve explored whether and how Facebook search history can be deleted, let’s discuss why this data matters in the first place.
Personalized Ads
Facebook leverages your search history primarily to serve personalized and targeted ads. Searches around topics like travel, entertainment, shopping, etc. provide Facebook valuable clues into your preferences and interests.
Improved Algorithms
Aggregated and anonymized search data is used to improve Facebook’s algorithms that control your newsfeed, recommendations, and other optimizations.
Security Concerns
Search history can reveal a lot of sensitive and private information about a user. Keeping this data secure and limiting access is important to avoid misuse.
Privacy Issues
Indefinite storage of search history raises privacy issues. Even if users delete their account, the data may continue to exist on Facebook’s servers.
Overall, search history provides immense value to Facebook’s ad targeting abilities and algorithms. But users must be vigilant about periodically removing this data to maintain privacy.
Conclusion
Facebook does not automatically delete any search history data. It is retained indefinitely on their servers tied to each user account.
The only way to remove search history is to manually go through and delete each item individually, with some limitations.
Proactively minimizing new search history data, using privacy settings, and periodically manually removing data can help users take control of their information.
Facebook’s search history collection raises privacy implications and keeps fueling their data-driven business model. Increased public awareness on this issue may lead Facebook to enhance user rights relating to search history in the future.
| Key Question | Short Answer |
| Does Facebook automatically delete search history? | No |
| How long is search history retained? | Indefinitely, until account deletion |
| Can you manually delete search history? | Yes |
| Does law mandate search history deletion? | No |
In summary, this article looked at whether Facebook deletes search history data on its own, or gives users tools to manually delete their search history. We examined Facebook’s data retention policies, applicable laws and regulations, limitations of manual deletion, minimizing newly collected data, and the impact search history has on Facebook’s business model. The key takeaway is that responsibility lies with users to proactively manage their search history and maintain their desired level of privacy.
Sources:
- https://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation
- https://www.facebook.com/help/562898537713086
- https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/facebook-will-start-keeping-some-user-data-indefinitely-112019.html
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/09/05/facebook-indefinite-data-storage/
- https://allconnect.com/blog/facebook-privacy