Facebook really doesn’t seem to have gotten the message on privacy. A new report reveals Facebook sharing sensitive personal data with mobile carriers.
The data reportedly being shared includes locations, interests and social groups …
The Intercept says that the data sharing is as broad as it is deep.
One application for the data suggested by Facebook may even be illegal.
Offered to select Facebook partners, the data includes not just technical information about Facebook members’ devices and use of Wi-Fi and cellular networks, but also their past locations, interests, and even their social groups. This data is sourced not just from the company’s main iOS and Android apps, but from Instagram and Messenger as well.
The site’s Sam Biddle notes that Facebook discloses the data sharing, but the social network emphasises the consumer benefit while downplaying the commercial element.
Data is anonymised, targeting people by groupings rather than individually, but as Biddle notes, that is no guarantee that it can’t be abused.
The blog post makes only a brief mention of Actionable Insights’ second, less altruistic purpose: “enabling better business decisions” through “analytics tools.” According to materials reviewed by The Intercept and a source directly familiar with the program, the real boon of Actionable Insights lies not in its ability to fix spotty connections, but to help chosen corporations use your personal data to buy more tightly targeted advertising.
Facebook sharing personal data with Cambridge Analytica in a way that allowed it to be misused to influence the Trump presidential election and the UK’s Brexit referendum became a major scandal which brought the company’s privacy policies into sharp focus.
Face-recognition opt-out still not available to all
Separately, Consumer Reports has found that not all Facebook users can yet opt-out of facial recognition, almost 18 months after the option was first announced.
The consumer protection organization has filed a complaint with the FTC.
“This was a small, qualitative study, and we don’t know exactly how many people are missing the setting. But, we can infer that many Facebook users may be affected,” says Bobby Richter, who leads privacy and security testing for Consumer Reports.
Photo: Shutterstock
