Miscellaneous May 2026 SOTW Forum - Is Anyone Else Experiencing Repeated Malvertising Threats

[PigSquealer]

I got a (spontaneous) summary form my Norton 'browser protection' Guess which site was top of the list of 'Websites trying to track you'? One that I visited for no than 30 minutes in the last 30 days.

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Do you use Facebook or Instagram?

 

[MikeMorrell]

Do you use Facebook or Instagram?

Yes, both and WhatsApp too. All apps owned by Meta.

 

[PigSquealer]

Yes, both and WhatsApp too. All apps owned by Meta.

Interesting that Norton didn’t detect any tracking from Meta. I would have guessed Meta on top. Meta & Fleabay are my top hits for tracking me.

 

[MikeMorrell]

Interesting that Norton didn’t detect any tracking from Meta. I would have guessed Meta on top. Meta & Fleabay are my top hits for tracking me.

Interesting.

I only looked at the 'top 10' but Meta (or Google) could be nr 11. TBH, I don't visit either FB or Instagram very often and they're usually very short visits. With the exception of the new FB and Instagram pages of my 'band'. I never click on any 'promoted posts' I see.

I'm sure Meta knows all about my 'FB groups' (interests) and how often I visit them. Less useful in 'ad generation' are the few 'personal contacts' I follow on Instagram. Google has a wealth of information about my interests through the websites I visit, the locations I search for on 'Maps', etc.. And this shows up in 'promoted search results'.

I'm no expert, but my guess is that - at least in my case - Norton reports 'high levels of tracking' from individual websites rather than (underwater, internal) tracking by 'browsers'.

 

[skeller047]

Interesting that Norton didn’t detect any tracking from Meta. I would have guessed Meta on top. Meta & Fleabay are my top hits for tracking me.

[Trying the Social Feed]. The reason Meta doesn’t appear is that Norton (or whoever) will find the URL of the site that did the tracking. Meta only facilitates the activity, by allowing trackers to use their advertising service.

Whether Meta gets a copy of the data captured is unknown. I have my opinion, but it too shall remain unknown…. but I’ll give you 3 guesses 🙂