Facebook scandal: Not just Airtel and Saavn, these 52 companies had deep user data access; check full list

Facebook data breach: In a major development, social media giant Facebook has released a list of 52 companies which were provided with deep user data access even beyond 2015.

July 4, 2018 15:10 IST

Facebook scandal: Not just Airtel and Saavn, these 52 companies had deep user data access; check full list

Facebook data breach: In a major development, social media giant Facebook has released a list of 52 companies which were provided with deep user data access even beyond 2015. Notably, while Facebook had tightened rules on its platform to prevent abuse in 2014, select partners received exemptions to use user data even beyond 2015. “At that time we made clear that existing apps would have a year to transition at which point they would be forced to migrate to the more restricted API and be subject to Facebook’s new review and approval protocols. The vast majority of companies were required to make the changes by May 2015,” Facebook said.

Responding to questions received from US Congress, in a 750 page document, Facebook revealed the name of these 52 companies. Notably, these 52 firms could access users’ public profile on Facebook, and any information that users share with them. “Apps and websites that people use may receive their list of Facebook friends if they choose to share it with them. But apps and websites that people use will not be able to receive any other information about their Facebook friends from users, or information about any of the users’ Instagram followers,” Facebook said in the letter.

“When people choose to use third-party apps, websites, or other services that use, or are integrated with, our Products, they can receive information about what users post or share,” the firm said in the post. Further, out of these 52 partner firms, Facebook has already discontinued 38 partnerships, “and will shut down an additional seven by the end of July 2018 and another one by the end of October 2018.” Three partnerships will continue: (1) Tobii, an accessibility app that enables people with ALS to access Facebook; (2) Amazon; and (3) Apple, with whom we have agreements that extend beyond October 2018, clarified the company.

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We take a look at the full list. In the list below, companies appended with * denote partnerships that Facebook says it is “still in the process of ending”, while ** denotes data partnerships that will continue but without access to friends’ data.