Facebook bug exposed images of 7million users

A FACEBOOK bug exposed the photographs of up to seven million users without them knowing, it emerged yesterday.

Up to 1,500 apps were affected by the glitch, which allowed them access to ‘a broader set of photos than usual’.

It comes months after the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which the personal information of up to 30million Facebook users was harvested.

The latest software problem took place over 12 days in September. Facebook gave incorrect permissions to apps, meaning they could see images a user had considered uploading to the site but decided not to share, leaving them in a draft folder.

Last night, Facebook admitted it had known about the glitch for two months before it told regulators in Ireland, where its European head office is based.

Although it found and fixed the bug on September 25, it only reported on November 22. Under European law, companies have 72 hours to inform information commissioners.

Facebook said it came forward as soon as it realised the breach was reportable and hit the 72-hour deadline. It is understood it took the company weeks to understand the full impact of the bug.

Under new data protection laws, Facebook could face a fine of more than £1.27billion if it is found to have flouted rules.