New Facebook Privacy Scandal: How They Shared Users' Data With Major Manufacturers

Steve Warren
06-04-2018

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In the latest Facebook privacy scandal to emerge, the company has been giving user data to at least 60 major manufacturers over the last decade -- including powerhouse digital companies like Apple, Amazon, Blackberry, Samsung, and Microsoft.

The New York Times reported Sunday that this data-sharing agreement allowed manufacturers access to users information, including relationship status, calendar events, political affiliations, and religion as well as other information. Having this information would allow users as one Apple spokesperson explained, to post on Facebook without opening the Facebook app.

More importantly, the Times reported manufacturers were able to access the data of users' friends without their explicit consent. This happened despite Facebook declaring they would not let outside companies access user data.

Facebook views these manufacturers as partners as not outsiders. According to the Times report, they can obtain data about a user's Facebook friends, even those who have denied Facebook permission to share information with any third parties.

"It's like having door locks installed, only to find out that the locksmith also gave keys to all of his friends so they can come in and rifle through your stuff without having to ask you for permission," said Ashkan Soltani, a research and privacy consultant and former chief technologist for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) told the Times.  

This latest scandal over manufacturer data-sharing partnerships comes right after the social media company allowed third-party apps to gather private user information from millions of Facebook users for political and marketing purposes. 

Back in March, it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica shared information gathered from a quiz given to users who were paid for their responses. Due to Facebook's lack of restrictions, the app collected the data of not only the people who took the quiz but also data from their friends. 

More than 87 million users were affected. 

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About The Author

Steve Warren is a senior multimedia producer for CBN News. Warren has worked in the news departments of television stations and cable networks across the country. In addition, he also worked as a producer-director in television production and on-air promotion. A Civil War historian, he authored the book The Second Battle of Cabin Creek: Brilliant Victory. It was the companion book to the television documentary titled Last Raid at Cabin Creek currently streaming on Amazon Prime. He holds an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a B.A. in Communication from the University of
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