Facebook accused of using user data to reward and punish rivals
- 5 years ago
MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA — Facebook is under scrutiny yet again for claims of user data misuse.
This time it's been found using access to user information as a way to reward companies that bring in the dollah bills and restricting access to competitors.
The information comes from documents released by a U.K. parliamentary committee that's currently researching the role of social media in the spread of fake news.
The 250-page report details which companies got VIP access to user data goodies.
According to the documents, Netflix, AirBnB and Lyft were all among Facebook's white-listed companies.
Of course, you've got to be on Facebook's good side—AKA reign in the big ad bucks—for them to share their user data with you.
Back in 2013, when video sharing app Vine was booming, Facebook Vice-president Justin Osofsky, e-mailed human android, Mark Zuckerberg, saying that 'if there were no objections' he would shut down Vine's friend access. Mark's reply? 'Yup, go for it.'
Meanwhile, Facebook has issued a response on its platform claiming these 'whitelists' were developed for beta-testing features and preventing random apps from requesting permission to access user information.
The Zuck posted on his own wall as well, saying these were all efforts done to prevent abusive apps from mis-using user information.
He closed his statement saying 'this was an important change to protect our community, and it achieved its goal', should we believe him?
This time it's been found using access to user information as a way to reward companies that bring in the dollah bills and restricting access to competitors.
The information comes from documents released by a U.K. parliamentary committee that's currently researching the role of social media in the spread of fake news.
The 250-page report details which companies got VIP access to user data goodies.
According to the documents, Netflix, AirBnB and Lyft were all among Facebook's white-listed companies.
Of course, you've got to be on Facebook's good side—AKA reign in the big ad bucks—for them to share their user data with you.
Back in 2013, when video sharing app Vine was booming, Facebook Vice-president Justin Osofsky, e-mailed human android, Mark Zuckerberg, saying that 'if there were no objections' he would shut down Vine's friend access. Mark's reply? 'Yup, go for it.'
Meanwhile, Facebook has issued a response on its platform claiming these 'whitelists' were developed for beta-testing features and preventing random apps from requesting permission to access user information.
The Zuck posted on his own wall as well, saying these were all efforts done to prevent abusive apps from mis-using user information.
He closed his statement saying 'this was an important change to protect our community, and it achieved its goal', should we believe him?