Irish watchdog warned Facebook on data security issues seven years ago
Ireland’s privacy watchdog told Facebook that relying on developers to follow information rules in some cases was not good enough two years before a “data grab” on millions of users allegedly took place.
The Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) in Ireland said Facebook’s security measures were “not considered sufficient” to prevent third party apps from unauthorised use of personal data as part of a 2011 audit.
Cambridge University researcher Aleksandr Kogan is alleged to have collected data from 50 million users using a quiz app in 2013. The information was then passed to election consultancy Cambridge Analytica (CA) in 2014.
Both Facebook and CA have denied any wrongdoing. The watchdog’s warnings were reported as Facebook printed full-page newspaper apologies from founder Mark Zuckerberg.
The billionaire said the social networking site had already stopped apps like Dr Kogan’s from accessing so much information and promised to “do better” for users.
The December 2011 report by the DPC told executives at Facebook’s international headquarters in Ireland that the watchdog “(did) not consider that reliance on developer adherence to best practice or stated policy in certain cases is sufficient to ensure security of user data”.