Users’ data given out
Facebook’s shocking new breach
INTRUSIVE ACCESS: Facebook gave companies more extensive access to users’ personal data than it has previously revealed, according to a report. documents benefited more than 150 companies, including some entertainment sites, auto makers and media organisations. Their applications gathered the data of hundreds of millions of people per month, with the oldest deal dating back to 2010 and most deals still active as of 2017.
In a statement posted to its blog, Facebook said none of these features or partnerships gave companies access to information without people’s permission, nor did they violate its settlement with the Federal Trade Commission.
“To put it simply, this work was about helping people do two things,” the statement read.
“First, people could access their Facebook accounts or specific Facebook features on devices and platforms built by other companies like Apple, Amazon, BlackBerry and Yahoo. These are known as integration partners.
“Second, people could have more social experiences – like seeing recommendations from their Facebook friends – on other popular apps and websites, like Netflix, The New York Times, Pandora and Spotify.”
The company said it had been public about these features and that many of the partnerships, with the exception of Amazon and Apple, had been shut down over the past few months.
Facebook also noted that users would’ve had to sign in with their Facebook account to use any integration offered by Apple, Amazon or other partners.
“Still, we recognise that we’ve needed tighter management over how partners and developers can access information using our APIs,” the company said.
“We’re already in the process of reviewing all our APIs.”
Over the years, studies have confirmed most people don’t read the fine print in terms of service agreements. Data privacy experts pushed back on Facebook’s assertions the partnerships were all above board.
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