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Facebook Gave Some Developers Access To Users' Friends After Policy Changed (usatoday.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the talk-is-cheap dept.

Facebook granted a select group of companies special access to its users' records even after the point in 2015 that the company has claimed it stopped sharing such data with app developers. USA Today reports: According to the Wall Street Journal, which cited court documents, unnamed Facebook officials and other unnamed sources, Facebook made special agreements with certain companies called "whitelists," which gave them access to extra information about a user's friends. This includes data such as phone numbers and "friend links," which measure the degree of closeness between users and their friends. These deals were made separately from the company's data-sharing agreements with device manufacturers such as Huawei, which Facebook disclosed earlier this week after a New York Times report on the arrangement. Facebook said following the WSJ report it inked deals with a small number of developers that gave them access to users' friends after the more restrictive policy went into effect.

31 comments

  1. You are the product! by houstonbofh · · Score: 1

    If you have not figured that out yet, it is too late. Only post what you are willing to sell.

    1. Re:You are the product! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      If you have not figured that out yet, it is too late. Only post what you are willing to give away.

      Fixed that for you.

    2. Re:You are the product! by Anonymous+Brave+Guy · · Score: 4, Interesting

      But what about all the information other people post about me?

      The greatest con that social networks ever pulled was to get everyone to spy on everyone else for them so they didn't have to do it themselves.

      --
      If you disagree, post your argument. (-1, Overrated) isn't your personal censorship tool for views you don't like.
    3. Re:You are the product! by Travelsonic · · Score: 1

      Except, herr Anon, the problem is that it gives access to others' information about you, so if you don't post it, but it is on a device they have, they have access to that data. Rocket science, this is not.

      --
      If you believe in privacy, and believe you have "nothing to hide" at the same time, you're a goddammed idiot
  2. where's the feds? by JustNiz · · Score: 1

    Isn't it about time the government smacked Zuckerberg down hard?
    I mean this is just more proof that his evasion and lies during his congressional hearings were blatant.

    1. Re:where's the feds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The moderate democrats are in league with Facebook, Google, Twitter, etc. The republicans are just.. useless. So now I'm hoping the hard left wing of the democrats takes power and slams these fuckers hard. I mean these companies are basically public services in need to be nationalized at the fair appropriation rate of peanuts on the dollar.

    2. Re:where's the feds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They did, he had to double his campaign donations...duh

    3. Re:where's the feds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      because Congress doesn't care. They already got their time in front of the cameras, looking like they were fighting for the little guy.

      The news cycle has moved on, and they're now off getting in front of cameras for some other thing-of-the-moment.

    4. Re: where's the feds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Too much money so they just take a bit and get lost... Come on!

    5. Re: where's the feds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The hard left? Like national socialism or marxism?

    6. Re: where's the feds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, it'll be much more like the left hook I'm about to throw some Anonymous Cretin for trying to pull that old, tired, and blatantly false "Nazis were leftists [therefore all leftists = Nazis]" horseshit on people who know better.

    7. Re:where's the feds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Running Facebook, obviously.

    8. Re: where's the feds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thatâ(TM)s not what he said, but itâ(TM)s surprisingly true. That along with the right as well. When each side realizes they are both Nazis we can have peace. I mean the kinda leave where people go out and have book burning or maybe baby burning, but at least we will do it together.

    9. Re: where's the feds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Please don't assume I'm as stupid as you--that is *exactly* what he said. KGFY.

    10. Re: where's the feds? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why shouldn't he assume you're stupider than him? You say stupid things.

      Socialism and Marxism are in some ways the exact opposite of naziism. In other ways, similar.

      At the kindergarten level of this discussion there is covariance, which means the two are effectively disconnected.

      If your statements are to be taken seriously they should exhibit at least some specificity.

  3. of course by phantomfive · · Score: 1

    If Google's motto was "don't be evil," Facebook's was always "be evil."

    --
    "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    1. Re:of course by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      If Google's motto was "don't be evil," Facebook's was always "be evil."

      Pretty sure facebook's motto has always been been:

      they "trust" me. dumb fucks

    2. Re:of course by phantomfive · · Score: 2

      they "trust" me. dumb fucks

      It can't be remembered enough that Zuckerburg actually said that.

      --
      "First they came for the slanderers and i said nothing."
    3. Re:of course by Stan92057 · · Score: 1

      "Quote"
      Zuckerburg: Yeah so if you ever need info about anyone at Harvard
      Zuckerburg: Just ask.
      Zuckerburg: I have over 4,000 emails, pictures, addresses, SNS
      [Redacted Friend’s Name]: What? How’d you manage that one?
      Zuckerburg: People just submitted it.
      Zuckerburg: I don’t know why.

      Zuckerburg: They “trust me”
      Zuckerburg: Dumb fucks.
      "End Quote"

      --
      Jack of all trades,master of none
  4. As the product by AHuxley · · Score: 1

    the users settings should be considered decorative.
    My Privacy! The Settings Do Nothing!

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  5. 502 Bad Gateway by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    nginx/1.13.12

  6. Facebook so shady... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    At least people finally stopped nagging me to join Facebook and now realized my paranoia was justified.

  7. Kick the Puppy Harder by mentil · · Score: 1

    The problem with lying and cheating is that eventually your malfeasance will come to light.
    Facebook is like a domestic abuser that people just can't leave because they love it so much.

    --
    Corruption is convincing someone that the selfless ideal is the same as their selfish ideal.
  8. Friend. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Anthony Bourdain. Destination Unknown. Life is soooo strange.

  9. All that will change when Clinton will head it by mapkinase · · Score: 1

    https://www.washingtonpost.com...

    --
    I do not believe in karma. "Funny"=-6. Do good and forbid evil. Yours, Oft-Offtopic Flamebaiting Troll.
    1. Re:All that will change when Clinton will head it by knorthern+knight · · Score: 1

      https://www.washingtonpost.com...

      Don't laugh, she has experience as a mail-server admin... "the most qualified candidate for the position", etc.

      --

      I'm not repeating myself
      I'm an X window user; I'm an ex-Windows user
  10. Stop. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Stop. Using. Facebook.

  11. Navigation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think the internet is currently most useful for research/potential wisdom.

    Whenever I must hit a Facebook page my ability to backwards navigate via a keyboard shortcut is disabled. Also, it takes 2 mouse clicks to get back to a search engine.

    This just seems really lame. Is it just a bug or something?

    1. Re: Navigation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Try a new tab...

  12. Liars always get found out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well at least Facebook never said it would "do no evil". Of course in my opinion selling its users information was always the grander plan of operation. Unfortunately Facebook has had long enough to make its social service a addictive behavior for many. Like quitting smoking its going to take a lot of convincing for people to quit Facebook. In many ways the damage has already been done for years and Facebook needs to pay the price for this.

  13. They "trust me." Dumb fucks. by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 3, Informative

    Five words that tell you everything you need to know about Zuckerberg.