Facebook Admits Over 87 Million People's Data Was Shared Improperly | Zero Hedge
Description: Just a few short days before CEO Mark Zuckerberg does the 'perp' walk to Washington to testify to Congress, Facebook says the information of up to 87 million people, mostly in the U.S. may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica.

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# Facebook Admits Over 87 Million People's Data Was Shared Improperly

Just a few short days before CEO Mark Zuckerberg does the 'perp' walk to Washington to testify to Congress, Facebook says the information of up to 87 million people, mostly in the U.S. may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica, considerably more than the originally discussed 50 million.

As AP reports, this coming Monday, all Facebook users will receive a notice on their Facebook feeds with a link to see what apps they use and what information they have shared with those apps.

They'll have a chance to delete apps they no longer want.

Users who had their data shared with Cambridge Analytica will be told of that within that notice.

Facebook says most of the affected users are in the U.S..

Facebook confirmed that apps accessing events or groups APIs will lose access today and will have to be individually re-approved each time they attempt to access information like check-ins, photos, likes, posts, and videos.

Furthermore, Facebook will no longer allow apps to ask for access to personal information like religion or political bias.

* * *

Full Statement below:

Two weeks ago we promised to take a hard look at the information apps can use when you connect them to Facebook as well as other data practices. Today, we want to update you on the changes we’re making to better protect your Facebook information. We expect to make more changes over the coming months — and will keep you updated on our progress. Here are the details of the nine most important changes we are making.

Events API: Until today, people could grant an app permission to get information about events they host or attend, including private events. This made it easy to add Facebook Events to calendar, ticketing or other apps. But Facebook Events have information about other people’s attendance as well as posts on the event wall, so it’s important that we ensure apps use their access appropriately. Starting today, apps using the API will no longer be able to access the guest list or posts on the event wall. And in the future, only apps we approve that agree to strict requirements will be allowed to use the Events API.

Groups API: Currently apps need the permission of a group admin or member to access group content for closed groups, and the permission of an admin for secret groups. These apps help admins do things like easily post and respond to content in their groups. However, there is information about people and conversations in groups that we want to make sure is better protected. Going forward, all third-party apps using the Groups API will need approval from Facebook and an admin to ensure they benefit the group. Apps will no longer be able to access the member list of a group. And we’re also removing personal information, such as names and profile photos, attached to posts or comments that approved apps can access.

Pages API: Until today, any app could use the Pages API to read posts or comments from any Page. This let developers create tools for Page owners to help them do things like schedule posts and reply to comments or messages. But it also let apps access more data than necessary. We want to make sure Page information is only available to apps providing useful services to our community. So starting today, all future access to the Pages API will need to be approved by Facebook.

Facebook Login: Two weeks ago we announced important changes to Facebook Login. Starting today, Facebook will need to approve all apps that request access to information such as check-ins, likes, photos, posts, videos, events and groups. We started approving these permissions in 2014, but now we’re tightening our review process — requiring these apps to agree to strict requirements before they can access this data. We will also no longer allow apps to ask for access to personal information such as religious or political views, relationship status and details, custom friends lists, education and work history, fitness activity, book reading activity, music listening activity, news reading, video watch activity, and games activity. In the next week, we will remove a developer’s ability to request data people shared with them if it appears they have not used the app in the last 3 months.

Instagram Platform API: We’re making the recently announced deprecation of the Instagram Platform API effective today. You can find more information here.

Search and Account Recovery: Until today, people could enter another person’s phone number or email address into Facebook search to help find them. This has been especially useful for finding your friends in languages which take more effort to type out a full name, or where many people have the same name. In Bangladesh, for example, this feature makes up 7% of all searches. However, malicious actors have also abused these features to scrape public profile information by submitting phone numbers or email addresses they already have through search and account recovery. Given the scale and sophistication of the activity we’ve seen, we believe most people on Facebook could have had their public profile scraped in this way. So we have now disabled this feature. We’re also making changes to account recovery to reduce the risk of scraping as well.

Call and Text History: Call and text history is part of an opt-in feature for people using Messenger or Facebook Lite on Android. This means we can surface the people you most frequently connect with at the top of your contact list. We’ve reviewed this feature to confirm that Facebook does not collect the content of messages — and will delete all logs older than one year. In the future, the client will only upload to our servers the information needed to offer this feature — not broader data such as the time of calls.

Data Providers and Partner Categories: Last week we announced our plans to shut down Partner Categories, a product that lets third-party data providers offer their targeting directly on Facebook.

App Controls: Finally, starting on Monday, April 9, we’ll show people a link at the top of their News Feed so they can see what apps they use — and the information they have shared with those apps. People will also be able to remove apps that they no longer want. As part of this process we will also tell people if their information may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica.

In total, we believe the Facebook information of up to 87 million people — mostly in the US — may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica.

Overall, we believe these changes will better protect people’s information while still enabling developers to create useful experiences. We know we have more work to do — and we’ll keep you updated as we make more changes.

* * *

There goes access and Facebook's profit margins.

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## Comments

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Adolph.H. Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:44 Permalink

Do they really think we don't know they shared all of their data?

We're going to build a monument to Zuckerberg. That will be a sort of tower with a blade at the top. He will just have to put his head through the hole at the bottom for the inauguration.

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jaap Adolph.H. Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:49 Permalink

The democrats (DNC) had already in 2012 full information about the total network (say 200 million Americans).

Something the Republicans never had.

Listen (to No Agenda), it is a short clip:

http://adam.curry.com/enc/1522007453.597_caroldavidsenofrentrakonobamacampaignfacebagsocialgraphoftheentireusa.mp3

In reply to Mitard by Adolph.H.

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Endgame Napoleon jaap Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:55 Permalink

They would have been better off to stay out of politics as much as possible.

In reply to The democrats (DNC) had the… by jaap

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InjectTheVenom Endgame Napoleon Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:56 Permalink

#DELETEFACEBOOK

In reply to They would have been better… by Endgame Napoleon

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alexcojones InjectTheVenom Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:06 Permalink

I guess there goes Zuck's run for President

No more ZuckWeiner 2020 -- Sad (sarc)

In reply to #DELETEFACEBOOK by InjectTheVenom

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macholatte alexcojones Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:13 Permalink

may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica,

But was it “properly shared” with Hitlary and Obama because Sheryl Sandberg simply gave it to them?

In reply to I guess there goes Zuck's… by alexcojones

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JRobby macholatte Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:15 Permalink

Then the sheep were heard bleeting.

In reply to … by macholatte

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BennyBoy JRobby Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:22 Permalink

Wait til the number is 287 million.

In reply to Then the sheep were heard… by JRobby

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AllTimeWhys BennyBoy Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:24 Permalink

"Improperly?" I believe the word they are looking for is "Intentionally"

In reply to … by BennyBoy

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kralizec JRobby Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:39 Permalink

All your data belong to us!

-FaceTwitGoogNSA

Have a nice day!

In reply to Then the sheep were heard… by JRobby

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Whodathunkit JRobby Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:51 Permalink

Bleating and babbling we fell on his neck with a scream
Wave upon wave of demented avengers
March cheerfully out of obscurity into the dream

P Floyd

In reply to Then the sheep were heard… by JRobby

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BLOTTO InjectTheVenom Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:06 Permalink

Just got Suckerberged.

In reply to #DELETEFACEBOOK by InjectTheVenom

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GUS100CORRINA BLOTTO Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:42 Permalink

Facebook Admits Over 87 Million People's Data Was Shared Improperly

My response: Now that's a number that could form the basis of one HELL of a CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.

Too late now FB, the COWS are out of the BARN and running free!!!

1. INTERNET BILL OF RIGHTS

2. Move internet fringe operators like FB, TWITTER, GOOGLE with YOUTUBE, and AMAZON under control of the FTC!

Going forward, WE THE PEOPLE need to vote every single DEMOCRAT and RINO out of office in the upcoming 2018 midterm elections.

Choose wisely America for the days are EVIL.

In reply to Just got Suckerberged. by BLOTTO

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Baron von Bud Endgame Napoleon Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:57 Permalink

FB has egregiously weak management controls over data. The company needs a chairman who is more grown up. MZ has to go or the credibility goes. One or the other.

In reply to They would have been better… by Endgame Napoleon

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Muddy1 Baron von Bud Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:08 Permalink

The credibility is already gone, now Zuck needs to be gone.

The headline says, "over 87 Million", the article says, "up to 87 million", which is it?

In reply to FB has egregiously weak… by Baron von Bud

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Pollygotacracker Muddy1 Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:45 Permalink

You're splitting hairs.

In reply to The credibility is already… by Muddy1

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nmewn Baron von Bud Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:10 Permalink

So they're promising (cross their heart & pinky swear...lol) to prohibit outside apps & orgs from accessing info they have already data mined and stored.

Well, doesn't everyone feel better now? ;-)

In reply to FB has egregiously weak… by Baron von Bud

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JRobby Baron von Bud Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:22 Permalink

It's a CIA/NSA front.

What type of "management controls" are we talking?

In reply to FB has egregiously weak… by Baron von Bud

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BennyBoy JRobby Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:23 Permalink

What kind of bullshit is Zucker pulling with Instagram?

IG needs some exposing too.

In reply to It's a CIA/NSA front. by JRobby

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topspinslicer Endgame Napoleon Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:58 Permalink

Bitcoin and Facebook have a lot in common

In reply to They would have been better… by Endgame Napoleon

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nidaar Adolph.H. Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:49 Permalink

tick tock tick tock

The day of reckoning is approaching. The nefarious connections between Obamba / Killary and these techno-brat companies are about to be exposed.

In reply to Mitard by Adolph.H.

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SubjectivObject nidaar Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:51 Permalink

facefook

In reply to tick tock tick tock… by nidaar

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GeezerGeek SubjectivObject Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:55 Permalink

Is 'shared improperly' now a euphemism for 'sold'?

In reply to facefook by SubjectivObject

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charlewar nidaar Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:53 Permalink

nothing is ever permanently deleted from the internet.

In reply to tick tock tick tock… by nidaar

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Endgame Napoleon nidaar Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:56 Permalink

Who is on that senate committee ?

In reply to tick tock tick tock… by nidaar

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JoseyWalesTheOutlaw Endgame Napoleon Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:17 Permalink

Odds are a complete bunch of dumbazz senators because that is all they have

In reply to Who is on that senate… by Endgame Napoleon

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TheVillageIdiot Adolph.H. Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:11 Permalink

God forbid anyone look at Google

In reply to Mitard by Adolph.H.

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dirty fingernails Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:45 Permalink

So going the usual limited hangout disclosure template, everyone's info was "shared" (for profit of course)

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topspinslicer dirty fingernails Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:49 Permalink

Why is it still alive?

In reply to So going the usual limited… by dirty fingernails

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Umh topspinslicer Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:10 Permalink

Because most people just don't care about their privacy and will give it up for a coupon or even a like.

In reply to Why is it still alive? by topspinslicer

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Endgame Napoleon dirty fingernails Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:58 Permalink

The phone companies do it, too, and when buying clothing, many retailers have asked for the same sort of info. for years. What is your zip code? What is your email address? Let me ring this up for you. People just gave it to them.

In reply to So going the usual limited… by dirty fingernails

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Patient apocalypse Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:46 Permalink

And they couldn't give a fuck about it.

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Mr Hankey Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:46 Permalink

1 comment,0 clicks?

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Deep Snorkeler Mr Hankey Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:51 Permalink

You are under continuous Orwellian surveillance

Your actions, speech, writings are recorded and analyzed.

Your pre-thoughts are monitored and an emotion detector utilized.

Periods of brain inactivity are quickly filled with pre-fabricated delusions.

You are being manipulated, guided and your perception has been

reduced to a pinhole. You are an American.

In reply to 1 comment,0 clicks? by Mr Hankey

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Jon_Locke Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:47 Permalink

These people put their information on A public Social Platform. Now they want to complain about it. Analytica broke no law. Everybody is just pissed they lost the election and even now looking to place blame. Obama and crew BRAGGED how they used this very information for 2012. Not to mention Zucker practically lived at the White house leading up to the 2012 election.

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Endgame Napoleon Jon_Locke Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:16 Permalink

Starting with Howard Dean’s online fundraising, and ramping up during Obama’s first and second runs, it was boasted about in this manner:

> These kids who bagged the Obama victory for him through their online activity are soooo technologically adept.

> (Never mind that it was the ground game in Iowa that launched him, and never mind that—although Obama had a better youth turnout than other candidates—the youth turnout was still low, compared to the turnout from older, presumably less tech-obsessed generations of likely voters.)

> The internet has revolutionized the way campaigns are run, and due to these young smartphone geniuses, elections will never be the same. All salute social media and the new form of political discourse, ushered in by an enlightened generation that was raised with a smartphone in their hands!

> (...insert references to Twitter & FaceBook from CNN anchors, making sure that you knew they were tech-savvy, even back in the Obama campaign days. Check out so-in-so anchor’s FB page to vote on how you liked this pro-Obama segment.)

Now, they are trying to act like this is something new.

In reply to These people put their… by Jon_Locke

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Seasmoke Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:47 Permalink

Not mine bitchez !!!

One of many Benefits of never trusting The Tribe.

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Robot Traders Mom Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:47 Permalink

At the end of the day, this is some sort of psyop, but not sure what exactly.

For years, the government has been recording everything you've done, every place you've gone, and every time you've been in front of a camera (phone, computer, etc), so them sharing data about your magical crops on Farmville is the least of your concerns. Get off Facebook because it's a fucking waste of your time and it will make you dumber.

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Pollygotacracker Robot Traders Mom Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:52 Permalink

Social media is a mind destroyer. It has a negative effect on brain 'plasticity'. It shortens attention span and brings on depression. Not healthy.

In reply to At the end of the day, this… by Robot Traders Mom

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BustainMovealota Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:50 Permalink

How could anybody really think their data was private in FaceFuk to begin with?

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PrivetHedge BustainMovealota Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:56 Permalink

Apparently many did and are aghast at what the red pill has shown them..

In reply to How could anybody really… by BustainMovealota

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Umh PrivetHedge Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:13 Permalink

They didn't read the license agreement? I am so unsurprised.

In reply to Apparently many did and are… by PrivetHedge

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pitchforksanonymous Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:50 Permalink

You're done farcebook.

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pitchforksanonymous pitchforksanonymous Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:00 Permalink

Down vote? Fuck you snowflake.

In reply to You're done farcebook. by pitchforksanonymous

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buzzsaw99 Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:51 Permalink

shared my ass. stolen then sold is the correct terminology.

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BGO Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:54 Permalink

Actual number of users whose data was improperly shared: 870 MILLION

Keep looking for those missing zeros. The truth shall set you free, FaceLizard.

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ted41776 Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:54 Permalink

NEWSFLASH: IT'S NOT YOUR DATA WHEN YOU AGREE TO THEIR TERMS AND UPLOAD IT TO THEIR SERVERS

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PrivetHedge ted41776 Wed, 04/04/2018 - 14:58 Permalink

Actually it is.

In reply to NEWSFLASH: IT'S NOT YOUR DATA by ted41776

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LetThemEatRand ted41776 Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:06 Permalink

"IT'S NOT YOUR DATA WHEN YOU AGREE TO THEIR TERMS AND UPLOAD IT TO THEIR SERVERS"

Somehow I doubt Facebook will use that line in its new advertising campaign. They thrive by convincing idiots that their data is secure even though the entire business model is to sell the personal data of the users. Facebook's worst nightmare is the sheeple waking up to the reality of how Facebook makes money.

In reply to NEWSFLASH: IT'S NOT YOUR DATA by ted41776

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nmewn LetThemEatRand Wed, 04/04/2018 - 15:20 Permalink

Yeah ya gotta love the terms of use compiled by company lawyers, 300 pages usually...lol...read through them some time, if you don't get a headache before you get to the part about holding them blameless for anything, you certainly will before you get to the part granting them power of attorney ;-)

In reply to "IT'S NOT YOUR DATA WHEN YOU… by LetThemEatRand

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