Facebook Tracking | Video

| 10/4/2011

An Australian technologist discovered that Facebook is collecting information about your internet visits even after you`ve logged out of their site, and lawmakers here want to investigate.

When you log out of Facebook and visit any of nearly a million sites with a "like" button --

That site sends a message to Facebook that you`ve been there. "It’s the equivalent of you closing your door or hanging up your phone but a person is still there in your home following you room to room but you can`t see them." Lillie Coney/ Electronic Privacy Information Center

It`s called "frictionless sharing." Lawmakers call it an invasion of privacy.

Democrat Ed Markey and Republican Joe Barton are pushing a "do not track kids" bill in Congress.

In this letter, they`re asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate.

The discovery comes as users adjust to other new changes. "It`s not fair to have consumers in a position to play catch up every time the company decides it wants to change something." Lillie Coney/ Electronic Privacy Information

Facebook users say they`re surprised. "That sounds awful. I didn`t know they could do that," said one person, "big brother is definitely out there."

Facebook says the tracking is part of its security - to prevent someone else from logging in as you. They say it`s not logged or used to target advertising.

Facebook also says they`ve fixed the problem. If you want to be sure, delete your browsing history or use a separate browser for Facebook.

Tracie Potts, NBC News

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