Removing all Facebook evidence from a PC

Question

My wife currently accesses her Facebook account from two computers, her PC and my laptop. During the course of her Facebook activities she has gradually accumulated a number of 'link-ins' from various sites so that when either PC visits these sites, a corresponding note appears on my wife's Facebook timeline. This tracking is undesirable - she doesn't want to know every time I visit for example www.guardian.co.uk from my laptop. Note that I have nothing to hide, you understand, but there is a principal thing going on here.

So... How can I remove all traces of my wife's Facebook account from my laptop (but not the actual account itself, of course), so that I can visit these pages without her Facebook account being updated with details of what I visited?

Answer 1

You could...

• use the browsers built-in function to erase all cookies and browsing history every time it is closed

• use a browser that supports multiple profiles, and create a different profile for yourself

• use a browser that supports keeping all the user data in the computer's user account directories, and create a separate account on your laptop for your wife

... not that this is all inclusive. Use Chrome, for example.

Then, of course, you could download any number of cleaning tools to clean out all of your cookies, history, temp internet files, etc.

Answer 2

Simple! Just log-out of her Facebook account.

Then next time she uses your laptop, ask her to use Incognito mode. That way her log-in won't be stored.

Answer 3

The best solution for you would be using browser profiles.

With Firefox, it is possible to run the profile manager if you use command line parameter -ProfileManager for the executable command (in Windows, right click -> properties on the link), or even more simple if you add Profile Switcher extension as an addon.

Additionally, you may also use the -Profile switch to specify a directory where profile data is stored at. It is especially useful if you want to carry your profile around with you on a USB stick or something.

Setting up different shortcuts with predefined command line options might be fun, too.

Chrome allows switching profiles through the --user-data-dir= option as well.

Answer 4

Use Incognito mode (that is the name for the Chrome version, I forget what the Firefox version of it is). Basically it runs your browser without loading (or permanently saving) cookies, cache, etc. I know that the Chrome browser has a way to select which plug-ins are active in the privacy mode. I always use this mode when visiting www.guardian.co.uk.

As was mentioned before, a somewhat better alternative (a somewhat more comprehensive solution) is to run multiple accounts and fast user switching. Your stuff is yours, and her stuff is hers. My configuration doesn't stomp on hers, etc.

Answer 5

First, run CCleaner, check all of the boxes, and let it go.

Second, log into Facebook, click the arrow beside 'Home', go to 'Account Settings', and on the 'Apps' side bar delete all of the undesired Apps not used.

Third, if you have a virus scanner, update and run it. If these websites are visited outside of Facebook yet they are still being posted to your timeline, you could have a keylogger or something. Change your password (after your virus scanner has done its work, and CCleaner) and try that out.

Answer 6

If you are running Firefox and you don't need Facebook on that PC, you could try using Adblock Plus and block everything related to Facebook. It's pretty easy to use: once you have installed the extension, just press Ctrl + Shift + S to open up the Filter Management, press Ctrl + R to show filters, and add four new filters:

||facebook.com^$domain=~facebook.com|~facebook.net|~fbcdn.com|~fbcdn.net
||facebook.net^$domain=~facebook.com|~facebook.net|~fbcdn.com|~fbcdn.net
||fbcdn.com^$domain=~facebook.com|~facebook.net|~fbcdn.com|~fbcdn.net
||fbcdn.net^$domain=~facebook.com|~facebook.net|~fbcdn.com|~fbcdn.net

This should block everything from Facebook, including your "tracking" problems.

Answer 7

Set up separate user accounts on each computer that is used by both of you. That way your browser profiles will stay separate as well.

Answer 8

I use the Disconnect browser extension with Chrome, but according tho their website they also support Firefox and Safari. This extension can block most of the tracking attempts by Facebook, Google and Twitter, but you can download a version which only blocks Facebook.

In my experience it disables all kinds of Facebook integration on third-party websites, which seems to be you goal.

Answer 9

The problem is the guardian Facebook app. You need to remove it from her Facebook. I hate that app so much. They call it "frictionless sharing" or something pompous like this. It is just another way to spam all your Facebook friends.

Instructions can be found here: How do I remove the app?

Ask her to remove it and, best of all, have her use a different user account on your computer. If you need a tutorial on creating user accounts in Windows, check this out: How to Create or Delete User Accounts

Answer 10

If you only need to "not use your wife facebook account accidentally", why not using another browser? If you are using firefox, let's try chrome, opera... I think chrome & firefox are good enough for common use.

If you use firefox and your wife use chrome, there would be no trouble investigating "browser profile" thing (though it's still good to know some little more :)

Answer 11

You can block all facebook trackers using Ghostery . If you prefer to load Facebook plugins anonymously use Priv3 (another firefox extension)

Answer 12

Many thanks to all who replied to my original question. I have done a 'belt and braces' approach and am pleased to say that the problem is no longer occurring.

Some of the things I have done: Removed Facebook-related cookies, usernames + passwords from my pc. Checked the 'Tell websites I do not want to be tracked' option in FireFox My wife will no longer access Facebook from my laptop, and has reviewed all the apps relating to her Facebook account (she says she'll be more careful about what whe clicks on in future!) Run cCleaner.

Any answer-specific comments are mentioned with the corresponding answer.

Regards, Alan

Answer 13

If you use Google Chrome, you and your wife can use different profiles. In short, different Chrome profiles/users segregate cookies, history, etc. for different users, so you and your wife can browse the web as if you were on two separate computers. You can add another user under the Personal Stuff tab in settings, and switch between them by clicking the image at the top left of the Chrome window (Windows). If you want more info, read Google's help article.

Answer 14

Here are some good programs which can help you wipe-erase-delete-remove-burn all the tracks of any browsing acivity that you may have done. (You need to be careful as it can destroy your system, too) 1. CCleaner _ Enable Wiping 1 or 3 times 2. Eraser version 5.86.1 (not the newer as it is buggy) 3. Defraggler or MyDefrag 4. Paragon Hard Disk Manag 5. Win hex 6. BCWipe 7. Scorch

BCWipe, Eraser, Win hex and Paragon allow you to wipe the file and file tails with multiple passes, but with Paragon, you could truncate the $MFT file allowing you to have just specified MFT as many file syou have (and the setors it occupies). Win hex allows you to do a hex search on say "face*" wildcard term, and you can erase those terms. It is going to be manual which means you have to go through several hours or perhaps days. http://lotstoread.tripod.com/faqs/cleanhd.html

Answer 15

Try the Fanboy Ultimate List for AdBlock Plus in Opera, Firefox or Chrome.

It blocks the trackers and other unwanted content set by Facebook and other social media sites.

Note that the Fanboy Ultimate List already contains EasyList ad-blocking filters, so you have to disable/unsubscribe from EasyList or an existing ad-blocking list if you're using the Fanboy Ultimate List.