Now Facebook wants to know where you're going NEXT:

Now Facebook wants to know where you're going NEXT:

Controversial patent uses the location data of you and your friends to try and predict places you'll visit

• Three patents describe how location data could predict where you're going next
• Predicts when you'll be offline to show content on your device ahead of time
• Another would study you and others' location data to show targeted advertising
  
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  In a series of patents, the social media giant describes how it would use your location data to predict where you'll be going in the future, as well as when you're most likely to be offline.
  As part of the technology, it would also potentially look at other users', such as your friends', location data.
  'The calculating of the transition probability is based at least in part on previously logged location data associated with the number of users who were at the current location,'
  
  'The method also includes determining metadata associated with the user; and calculating an offline probability associated with each of the number of candidate geographic locations using a computer model and the metadata associated with the user.
  'The computer model is generated using machine learning and metadata associated with users who were at the respective candidate geographic location,' it continues.
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  In one patent, titled 'Offline Trajectories,' Facebook details how it would use location information, such as metadata, to predict where you're going next and when you'll be offline
  
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  The patent goes on to state that if Facebook can correctly predict when you'll be offline, it would surface content on a user's device before they lose connectivity
  
  Essentially, Facebook wouldn't just gather your location data to build your social graph, it would also look at your friends and, in some cases, strangers, who have also gone to the locations you've visited to determine where you're going next.
  The patent goes on to state that if Facebook can correctly predict when you'll be offline, it would surface content on a user's device before they lose connectivity.
  One example where this feature would come in handy is described as 'a number of newsfeed items corresponding to the amount of time until the client device has wireless connectivity restored.'
  Another patent, titled 'Location Predicting Using Wireless Signals on Online Social Networks,' would analyze the strength of WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular and near-field communication signals to determine your current location.
  In doing so, Facebook might be able to predict where you're heading next.
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  Another patent, 'Location Predicting Using Wireless Signals on Online Social Networks,' would analyze the strength of WiFi, Bluetooth, cellular and other signals to predict your location
  
  Filed in November 2017, the patent describes how looking at these kinds of signals can give a more accurate approximation of a user's location compared to GPS signals.
  It would look at a user's location and determine when they visit, when it's most popular, what the opening hours are and other data.
  It would then attempt to determine which places you visit after that, as well as the behavior of other users that are the same age as the user.
  The third patent, titled 'Predicting Locations and Movements of Users Based on Historical Locations for Users of an Online System,' describes how Facebook would provide targeted advertising based on where users are going.
  The system would attempt to pair users' activity into groups.
  If users appear to be visiting any of the locations listed in the pair, Facebook might show a targeted ad or coupon related to another location in the pair.
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  'Predicting Locations and Movements of Users Based on Historical Locations for Users of an Online System,' says how the firm would provide targeted ads based on where users are going
  
  As with most patents, it's unclear if any of the technologies described in the three filings will ever see the light of day on Facebook.
  'We often seek patents for technology we never implement, and patent applications — such as this one — should not be taken as an indication of future plans,' Anthony Harrison, a Facebook spokesperson, told BuzzFeed News.
  That said, the patents show that Facebook is doubling down on the ways in which it can use your location data - much of which is gathered via location-focused features like Nearby Friends and Live Location, to generate more targeted advertisements.
  If users see ads that are more relevant to where they're going, they might be more likely to click on them.
  In turn, this makes Facebook's advertising products more valuable to brands, which encourages them to spend more and brings in more ad dollars for Facebook.
  
• HOW DOES FACEBOOK COLLECT DATA ON USERS WHEN THEY VISIT OTHER SITES?
  
  Facebook has been embroiled in a massive data scandal after it was revealed that at least 87 million users' data was harvested without their knowledge.
  Much of the attention has been cast on how the firm collects data when users are on the site.
  In a new blog post, Facebook has provided further details on how it tracks users when they're off of the site.
  It also means non-Facebook users are also tracked as they browse the web.
  Here are some of Facebook's services and plugins that collect data on users when they're not on the site:
  Social plugins
  
  
  • Many sites have 'Like' and 'Share' buttons that connect to Facebook, while many apps or sites use 'Facebook login,' which allows you to log into another site or app using your Facebook account
  • This collects your IP address, browser and operating system information and the address of the website or app you're using.
  
  Facebook Analytics
  
  
  • The firm says it helps websites and apps 'better understand' how people use their services.
  • It gives websites and apps information on which users are visiting their site, based on demographics like age, gender and location, as well as what they click and how much time they spend on the website.
  • This collects your IP address, browser information and cookies.
  
  Facebook ads and measurement tools
  
  
  • These enable websites and apps to show ads from Facebook advertisers, run their ads on Facebook or elsewhere and glean more data on ad campaigns.
  • Facebook's main services for this are the Facebook Audience Network, Facebook Pixel and Facebook ad measurement.