FB EXPLORED PLANS TO SELL USER DATA: REPORT
ZUCKERBERG AND SANDBERG SAID TO HAVE DISCUSSED MATTER FOR YEARS
WASHINGTON:FACEBOOK CEO Mark Zuckerberg and chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg discussed for years plans to sell access to users’ data to fight rivals, NBC News reported on Tuesday, citing leaked documents.
“Zuckerberg oversaw plans to consolidate the social network’s power and control competitors by treating its users’ data as a bargaining chip, while publicly proclaiming to be protecting that data,” the report said after scanning through about 4,000 pages of leaked company documents including emails, webchats, presentations, spreadsheets and meeting summaries.
“In some cases, Facebook would reward favoured companies by giving them access to the data of its users. In other cases, it would deny user-data access to rival companies or apps. For example, Facebook gave Amazon extended access to user data because it was spending money on Facebook advertising and partnering with the social network on the launch of its Fire smartphone,” the report claimed.
In another case, Facebook discussed cutting off access to user data for a messaging app that had grown too popular and was viewed as a competitor. Facebook, however, denied it gave preferential treatment to developers or partners because of their ad spending or relationship with executives. A New York Times report last year claimed for the first time that Facebook allowed firms like Netflix or Spotify access to user data.
Facebook said it never allowed partners to access private messages without users’ permission.it said it worked closely with four partners to integrate messaging into their products so people could message their friends -- but only if they chose to use Facebook Login.