Probe on Facebook

Privacy cop opens case as one in 50 Aussies’ data is taken

AUSTRALIA’S privacy commissioner has its sights on Facebook after the US social media giant revealed up to one in 50 local users may have had personal information accessed by Cambridge Analytica.

It’s launched an investigation to determine whether the Mark Zuckerberg-led multibillion-dollar behemoth breached the Australian Privacy Act. Facebook has admitted 311,127 Australian users are likely among the up to 87 million worldwide whose data was unknowingly and “improperly” shared with the British political consultancy.

“All organisations that are covered by the Privacy Act have obligations in relation to the personal information that they hold,” acting information and privacy commissioner Angelene Falk said yesterday.

“This includes taking reasonable steps to ensure that personal information is held securely, and ensuring that customers are adequately notified about the collection and handling of their personal information.”

Cambridge Analytica developed controversial tools for use in political campaigns and sought to assist Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential run.

Belinda Barnet, a data analytics expert at Swinburne University, says profile data like that collected by the group is just the tip of the iceberg.

Social media companies collect data on every click made on their websites and consider that information their property, leaving users unable to adjust access to it in privacy settings.

“All the data collected while you interact with the platform should be transparent, that should be available to you,” Dr Barnet said. “I’d like to see transparency about which third-party organisations, including advertisers, have access to your profile data, your data points and the inferences drawn from those data points.

“If things keep happening, governments are going to have to regulate.”