Facebook keeping ‘private’ videos

IF YOU have ever filmed a video in Facebook’s app — even if you never published it — the social network probably kept a copy of your private moment.

The beleaguered technology giant apologised for its newest privacy breach yesterday after users discovered Facebook had saved and stored videos that hadn’t been published on its website.

The issue affected several users who downloaded an archive of all information they had shared to the social network, and found a series of videos filmed with computer webcams they had recorded but never uploaded to Facebook.

Facebook user Baily Kircher, for example, found several of her videotaped efforts to play the flute had been stored on the social network even though she chose not to post them to her friend.

The videos were recorded using her computer’s webcam but the problem appeared to have affected videos recorded using its smartphone app as well.

A Facebook spokesman said the company “investigated” the issue after user reports and pledged to address it.

“We discovered a bug that prevented draft videos from being deleted,” the spokesman said.

“We are deleting them and apologise for the inconvenience.”

The Facebook privacy breach is the latest uncovered since #DeleteFacebook started trending on rival social media networks following revelations the company shared the private details of 50 million users with political data analysis firm, Cambridge Analytica.

Many users downloading their Facebook archive in preparation for deleting their account also discovered they had inadvertently shared details of every phone call and text message with Facebook even though they occurred outside the company’s app.

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is expected to answer questions about the breaches before US Congress this month.