Facebook has seen a sudden spike in data download requests in November: Report

tech2 News StaffNov 21, 2018 12:38:25 IST

Some eight years ago, Facebook rolled out the option to allow users to download all their data from the platform. This included the collections of photos, posts, comments and event locations where you checked in. Basically, Facebook lets you download all the data it has on you.

While this feature has been around for a while, it wasn’t until the recent Cambridge Analytica scandal, that the feature became immensely popular. And that was because after the scandal, a lot of users wanted to just step out of the whole mess, but of course, not without all the data that had been collecting on Facebook all those years.

Facebook.

However, according to a report by Recode, in the month of November, in particular, a lot of people seem to be trying to download their data from Facebook this month. So many, in fact, that it’s causing delays on Facebook’s end as the company tries to fulfil all those data requests.

Are we looking at a mass walkout from Facebook?

“Over the past two weeks we’ve experienced a higher volume of 'Download Your Information' requests than usual,” a Facebook spokesperson told Recode. “This means it is taking longer to process the requests. We are working on it and appreciate people’s patience.”

Of course, it not very probable that all these users who are requesting for their data are also looking to delete their Facebook account. However, it is worth wondering if a spike in requests like these is usual.

(Also read: Facebook records a steep rise in data requests from the Indian government in H1 2018)

One can't also ignore the timing of this news, which is just a week after The New York Times report was released, which revealed Facebook’s backhanded ways of putting down its rivals. According to the report, Facebook reportedly worked closely with a public relations firm, which focused on downplaying Facebook’s scandals and writing negative news about rivals Apple and Google. The report also claimed that after a brief tiff with Apple CEO Tim Cook, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg ordered his employees to use only Android phones.

How to download your Facebook data

In either case, to gather or to exit, if you are looking to download your data from Facebook, here’s how you can go it.

Of course, given the situation, step 1 would be that you remain patient, and make peace with the fact that you have many ahead of you in the queue and Facebook may not respond to your data request stat.

Once you have accepted that, step 2 would be to open Facebook on your computer, log in with your credentials and click on Settings.

Here, under “General Account Settings,” you will see a link to “Download a copy of your Facebook data” at the bottom. Click on that.

On the next page, you will see a button to download your information, click on “Start My Archive.” It will ask you to download enter your password, do that and click on submit.

A popup window will appear just click on “Start My Archive” after which Facebook will gather all information, including your photos, videos, posts, likes, messenger conversations and more.

Once the data is ready to download, a link for the same will be sent to your registered email address.