FACEBOOK's latest privacy scandal is nothing compared to its powerful advertising system that follows you around the internet.

Even deleting your account may not be enough to stop it from snooping on you.

There are a number of steps you can take to stop Facebook snooping on you on the web Credit: Getty - Contributor

The tool, known as Audience Network, uses bits of code – including tags, pixels, and cookies – to collect information on you to build a digital self – even if you don't have a Facebook profile.

It also allows thousands of third-party apps to feed off this data from its users.

The social network's boss Mark Zuckerberg has promised to curb access that third-party apps get to your data, but it's still unclear whether Facebook will be able to get back the data already shared.

And while Facebook took similar measures to shut out apps from access to its data-sharing tools in 2015, the Audience Network continues to thrive.

Facebook Data Breach – what happened? Here's what you need to know... A personality quiz app obtained data for 270,000 willing Facebook users

But it also sucked up info on all of their Facebook friends

That meant the app caught data for around 50-60 million users

This data was reportedly sold on to UK research firm Cambridge Analytica

Cambridge Analytica helps politicians and lobby groups create propaganda

The data was supposedly used to boost the Brexit campaign and get Trump into the White House

Facebook is said to have known about the data breach since 2015

The social network asked companies with the data to delete it, but didn't enforce the rule

The Guardian revealed the incident in an exposé thanks to Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Christopher Wylie

There are now serious questions about whether Facebook has broken laws by giving up this data

Thankfully, you can check out our simple guide on how to stop Facebook apps handing over your data to bolster your Facebook security.

Read on to find out how you can also block Facebook ad-targeting.

Facebook's ad settings let you turn off tracking on its site Credit: FAcebook

Facebook Audience Network

"The power of Facebook ads, off Facebook,” was how Facebook promoted the Audience Network upon its launch in 2014.

It sees the company show you ads targeted to your browsing tastes.

That way brands can serve you direct marketing messages based on your interests, even when you're not on Facebook via other sites and apps.

Google and Apple use similar ad targeting tools to ensure that the commercials you see online are relevant to you.

Lock down your phone and your browser with these tips to stop Facebook ad tracking Credit: Getty - Contributor

How to stop Facebook's ad-targeting network from tracking you online

On your smartphone or tablet

If you own an iPhone or iPad the process to block targeted ads is relatively straightforward.

Got to Settings on your device, tap Privacy and then scroll down to click on Advertising.

From there, toggle the Limit Ad Tracking Button to disable it.

If own an Android device, the process is very similar.

Open Settings, head to Accounts and Sync, select Google, then Ads and then finally select Opt Out of Interest Based Ads.

Facebook's latest privacy scandal illustrates its lax approach to user data Credit: EPA

On your web browser

If you're using Chrome to browse the web, go to Settings in the right-hand dropdown menu.

Click on Show advanced settings, then select Privacy

Finally, click on 'Send a do not track request with your browsing traffic'.

This essentially tells individual websites to stop snooping on your activity.

But the problem is they don't have to honour the request. And Google can't force them to.

'Many websites will still collect and use your browsing data-- for example, to improve security, to provide content, services, ads, and recommendations on their websites, and to generate reporting statistics," writes Google.

Confused by the Facebook breach? Check out our helpful guides...

On Facebook

Facebook lets you opt out of ad tracking on its site too.

Just go to Settings, then click on Ads in the menu on the left-hand side of the screen.

Under Ad Settings, click on the button that says 'Ads on apps and websites outside the Facebook Companies'.

Then scroll down to the bottom and select no on the dropdown menu.

Facebook says that even if you opt-out you'll still see ads, they just won't be relevant to your browsing interests.

Contact your local data privacy alliance

Facebook, Google and Twitter are just a few of the firms that are part of a number of privacy alliances that have agreed to honour requests to stop tracking.

In the UK, you can visit the website of the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance to find out how to add your details to their "do not track" schemes.