(NBC News) — Facebook is taking a hit as more details emerge about the data scandal with Cambridge Analytica.
The hashtag “Delete Facebook” is trending online as Americans vow to take a step back from the social network following reports of misuse of some 50 million profiles.
If you don’t want to delete your account, you can limit access to your data by turning off Facebook Platform.
“That’s the kind of part of Facebook that lets apps and games and other third party services get information about you,” said Mary Beth Quirk of Consumer Reports.
If you do decide to turn off Facebook Platform, keep in mind you’ll no longer be able to use Facebook to log in to outside apps and sites.
You can also limit the amount of data shared with advertisers by minimizing the amount of information on your profile, deleting interests and unliking businesses and products.
Another option is deactivating your account, which is sort of like pressing pause on Facebook.
If you want to get rid of the social media site for good, you’ll need to do it on a computer. Deleting your Facebook app on your phone won’t actually delete your account.
If you sign back in within 14 days of deleting your account, Facebook will cancel your deletion request and reactivate your profile.
Facebook says it can take up to 90 days for all of your information to be deleted from their servers.
Read more: http://nbcnews.to/2HXRKuW
