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Facebook Gave More Than 150 Companies, Including Microsoft, Netflix, Spotify, Amazon and Yahoo, Unprecedented Access To Users' Personal Data: NYT (buzzfeednews.com)

The New York Times obtained hundreds of pages of Facebook documents which were generated in 2017 that show that the social network considered these companies business partners and effectively exempted them from its privacy rules. From a report: Facebook allowed Microsoft's search engine Bing to see the names of nearly all users' friends without their consent, let Spotify, Netflix, and the Royal Bank of Canada read, write, and delete users' private messages, and see participants on a thread, allowed Amazon to get users' names and contact information through their friends, and let Yahoo view streams of friends' posts "as recently as this summer" despite publicly claiming it had stopped sharing such information a year ago, the report said. Collectively, applications made by these technology companies sought the data of hundreds of millions of people a month.

The records also show that Russian search giant Yandex, which was accused last year by Ukraine's security service for giving user data to Kremlin, also had access to Facebook's unique user IDs in 2017. A Yandex spokeswoman told the Times that the company was unaware of the access to user data provided by Facebook. Yandex did not immediately respond to BuzzFeed News' request for comment. In response to the report, Steve Satterfield, Facebook's Director of Privacy and Public Policy defended the actions of the social network.

49 of 114 comments (clear)

  1. If it's free, you're the product by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Of course they did. If you put anything on Facebook you better be ok with everyone seeing it eventually.

    1. Re: If it's free, you're the product by Hylandr · · Score: 3, Insightful

      There used to be a time when anyone logging into a BBS was presented with a notice as required by law that nothing on the system was to be considered private and you were advised not to treat it as such. The impression I had at the time was that this was Legally enforceable. We may be able to apply those older laws to the current iteration of message boards. Should be interesting.

      tl;dr;
      This generation has never had a sufficient level of distrust instilled at an early age.

      --
      ~ People that think they are better than anyone else for any reason are the cause of all the strife in the world.
    2. Re: If it's free, you're the product by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Educated people don't use facebook. Those people that use it even after been told what is going on are just not that smart.

      I know, I know...you consider yourself intelligent but somehow you are forced to use it because work or family or cat pictures. Not smart.

    3. Re: If it's free, you're the product by kilfarsnar · · Score: 2

      There used to be a time when anyone logging into a BBS was presented with a notice as required by law that nothing on the system was to be considered private and you were advised not to treat it as such. The impression I had at the time was that this was Legally enforceable. We may be able to apply those older laws to the current iteration of message boards. Should be interesting.

      tl;dr; This generation has never had a sufficient level of distrust instilled at an early age.

      I was not on Facebook for many years. Why? Because I actually read the terms and conditions for joining. At the time (I haven't gone back to check recently) it said that anything you post on Facebook belongs to you, but as long as it is on the site Facebook can use it for absolutely anything whatsoever. By signing up you are giving Facebook carte blanche to do anything they please with the information you put on the site.

      Like you point out, the fact that people are surprised or upset by whatever Facebook does just shows their naivete. It shows they have not read what they agreed to when they signed up. It shows they don't understand Facebook's business model. I am now on Facebook, but I never post anything or "like" anything because I am keenly aware that whenever I interact with the site I am giving them information about myself. My profile picture isn't even me. I am only on it because I missed out on a few social gatherings, because "Oh, you're not on Facebook..." So I signed up to get the invites. Even that tells Facebook something about me.

      --
      "What the American public doesn't know is what makes them the American public." -Ray Zalinsky (Tommy Boy)
    4. Re: If it's free, you're the product by Hylandr · · Score: 1

      The impression I had at the time was that this was Legally enforceable.

      Reading comprehension for the win. The key word here is 'impression'.

      I was on from the late 80's and there's still some around. I Modded WWIV and did a lot of interesting configuration with Renegade. TW2000 Was my favorite door game of the age. No small wonder I play a lot of Eve Online now.

      --
      ~ People that think they are better than anyone else for any reason are the cause of all the strife in the world.
    5. Re: If it's free, you're the product by LordWabbit2 · · Score: 1

      I haven't logged into my account in ages, but then I tend to not keep in touch with people once they out of my line of sight.
      Bad habit, but that's just me.
      Facebook is a handy place / way to keep in touch with people (if that's your thing) so I can understand how more gregarious people (yes even the smart ones) use it.
      Just don't expect any sort of privacy whatsoever when using it and act appropriately.

      --
      There are three kinds of falsehood: the first is a 'fib,' the second is a downright lie, and the third is statistics.
  2. Well that explains it by SuperKendall · · Score: 4, Funny

    I was wondering why Netflix started to bring up a video category "Shows for People Who Wear Blue Underwear on Fridays".

    --
    "There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
    1. Re:Well that explains it by msauve · · Score: 1

      Zuck wears blue underwear?

      #deletefacebook

      --
      "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
  3. same ole, same ole by harvey+the+nerd · · Score: 1

    Zuck sucks....

    ad $ $,$$$,$$$,000,000

    1. Re:same ole, same ole by hcs_$reboot · · Score: 1

      Zuck sucks

      Difficulty to manage at a young age. He might not be that bad, but with that high level of responsibilities and that low level of experience he is more prone to other people influence, people who care more about blind profit (they're paid by the company) than ideas and ethics (more the CEO side).

      --
      Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
    2. Re: same ole, same ole by imborg007 · · Score: 1

      I thought the real story was Facebook was still being used. Online privacy is an oxymoron.

  4. No shit. That's their business. by SensitiveMale · · Score: 5, Informative

    That's why people who know what Facebook does couldn't believe the uproar over the Cambridge Analytics "scandal." Selling user data is what facebook does.

    Well, they sometimes sell and they sometimes give it away as they did when they learned Obama's team sucked "the whole social graph." Not only didn't they stop Obama's team, they actively helped them afterward.

    Yeah, this'll be modded down, but it's all true.

  5. The Business model by Arzaboa · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Someone had to be sharing that data. How else is every service so perfectly in sync? These stories about Facebook handing out data, collecting data, and correlating data are simply stories about how Facebook operates.

    --
    If men were angels, no government would be necessary. - James Madison

  6. They're all US intelligence front companies by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Everything makes sense when you see them for what they actually are.

  7. Accused by Ukraines security services by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    That's like, a trademark of quality, man. Nothing beats integrity and professionalizm of the Ukrainian security services.

  8. Just shows... by msauve · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "more than 150 companies..."

    And the Goog isn't listed. Which only means Google knows more about you than the bookface, and so wouldn't gain anything from their data.

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
    1. Re:Just shows... by rogoshen1 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Or google and fb have more animosity towards one another than google vs apple (something about direct competitors?)

    2. Re:Just shows... by squiggleslash · · Score: 2

      It's somewhat ironic that Google is the one that's always being accused of selling your data when its business model actually revolves around making money by using the data, but keeping it secret, while Facebook "leaks" (actually sells) your data over and over again, and everyone's attitude is just "Oopsie, don't do it again" when selling your data is their actual business model.

      (There's kind of an implicit recognition that they use, rather than sell, the data in your comment, I thought it was worth highlighting. I suspect though that there's more to it than "Google already has your data".)

      --
      You are not alone. This is not normal. None of this is normal.
  9. An ad company by AHuxley · · Score: 1

    has to go full ads.
    Whats paying for the services offered? Ads and the way the users interact.

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    1. Re:An ad company by MrKaos · · Score: 2

      Whats paying for the services offered? Ads and the way the users interact.

      Users are the product and the ads are the service they offer to their customers.

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
  10. evil company is evil by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 1

    well, surprise surprise!

    when are you guys going to FINALLY make good on your promise to delete this crap from your lives?

    you can email anyone who is on FB; you wont lose contact.

    just leave that godforsaken place, already!

    the longer you stay, the more rope you give them. why empower those bastards? they could not care less about you. and you don't need them, either.

    grow a pair. leave FB.

    --

    --
    "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    1. Re:evil company is evil by MrKaos · · Score: 2

      well, surprise surprise!

      when are you guys going to FINALLY make good on your promise to delete this crap from your lives?

      I never joined facebook and found that the friends I make are the ones I share an interest with. The other thing I've found is that when I see people I haven't seen for a while there is plenty to talk and ask them about themselves.

      Talking about cutting out things I cut TV out back in 2013, I do binge watch Netflix occasionally with my wife though. Cutting out commercials dropped a noticeable amount of stress in my life, they're a waste of attention.

      The point I'm making is that, from someone who was never interested in the first place the only thing I feel like I'm missing out on from FB is maybe missing the opportunity to find old friends that I lost touch with.

      On the plus side, I find I get a lot done because I don't have things stealing my attention.

      Except slashdot.

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
    2. Re:evil company is evil by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

      Yes, they're [sociopathic] (evil is a child's word) but email solves a different problem than social media. This is just axiomatic - everybody had email before social media arose. There are CS terms for the collection of services social media provides, but that's not the main point here; email does not.

      The problem is ISP bans on "running servers". Everything Facebook does is possible (and better) in a fully distributed manner but governments grant service monopolies and then allow them to impose a "no servers" restriction on that monopoly. That's not Internet.

      ISP's and big-tech both would like to see home internet restricted to ports 80/443 because it benefits both to move everybody into centralized silos. Frankly, the governments granting those monopolies also benefit, so we have quite a quandry on how to wriggle out of this.

      Maybe Starlink will save us.

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  11. cyberstalking as a business model by astrofurter · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Creepy Faceboot is creepy.

    That much _everyone_ knows by now. Including those people who for social or business purposes continue to use Faceboot.

    It's time for Congress to ban cyberstalking as a business model. One way to do that would be too impose very high (instant bankruptcy high) mandatory fines for data spillage. And require that data hoarders be _fully insured_ against the maximum fine. Let the insurance companies take care of the rest.

  12. Death to Facebook by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

    Lock up Zuckerberg, burn Facebook to the ground.

  13. What will it take? by sdinfoserv · · Score: 1

    What revelation, what scandal, what breach of trust, what humiliation, what complete lack of concern for your private life by these "social media" corporations will it take for people to stop posting every personal intimate detail on social media? Tune out, turn off, experience life and keep yourselves private.

  14. I fail to see why we are by oldgraybeard · · Score: 1

    surprised every social media company makes their money selling every bit of user data they collect on all of their users to anyone with cash. That is what made Zuck a billionaire.

    Just my 2 cents ;)

  15. Ads don't require handing out users' data. Counter by raymorris · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Showing ads doesn't require giving Microsoft data dumps of all the users' data. In fact, that's counter-productive to selling ads to Microsoft. Facebook could:

    A) get Microsoft to pay every month to have Facebook run ads using the profile data that only Facebook has

    B) Get one payment from Microsoft and hand over the data, the golden goose, allowing Microsoft to run and target their own ads without Facebook

    It seems Facebook chose option B.

    Google does option A. Google collects as much information as they can from you, because it's very valuable to them in order to be able to target ads for their customers. The data they have on users is their biggest asset, so they guard it. They don't hand out data dumps to competitors, as Facebook has been doing, and as many marketers used to do before Google took over the industry by keeping the valuable data in-house, secret.

  16. Re:No shit. That's their business. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "...and the Royal Bank of Canada read, write, and delete users' private messages..."

    That's the problem. These companies have more administration rights over your profile than the owner does.

    If you don't want to be dragged into courts by the techno-police you'd better not be writing about bombs and stuff on your Facebook feed. This is basically saying that these companies can write whatever they want into your IMs. The potential for abuse is quite staggering.

    In any other jurisdiction this is called wiretapping, and it's expressly illegal.

    Don't use Facebook. Get off of Facebook. These companies are pure scum out for profit above even human decency.

  17. Re: Bible predicted it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Both of you are incorrect in various ways. The Kingdom of Israel refers to the descendants of Jacob, in the twelve tribes of Israel. These tribes were divided into the ten northern tribes, which were dispersed into Asia when the Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrians, and the two southern tribes, which were the Kingdom of Judah. The southern tribes, Judah and Benjamin, were conquered and put into captivity by the Babylonians. During this conquest, Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed.

    However, the tribes of Benjamin and Judah returned from captivity and rebuilt the temple that was previously destroyed. The second temple is sometimes referred to as Herod's Temple, because of renovations that were supported by Herod the Great. The Kingdom of Judah lasted until 70 AD, when after a rebellion against Roman rule starting in 66 AD, Jerusalem and the second temple were destroyed. That marks the end of the Kingdom of Judah.

    The tribes of Benjamin and Judah can be referred to as Jews, since the word Jew is derived from the name of the tribe of Judah. The tribes of Benjamin and Judah date back more than 3,000 years ago before kings David and Solomon. However, they are generally referred to as Israelites, along with the ten northern tribes, prior to the northern tribes being conquered by the Assyrians.

    Regarding Jesus being a Jew, that's misleading. Jesus did observe many Jewish traditions such as Passover. However, it was Pilate, a Roman, who proclaimed Jesus as the "King of the Jews. This is recognized the form of the INRI inscription at the top of a crucifix, and was also something the Jews objected to. The Jews considered Jesus to be a false Messiah, and a particularly damaging one at that. In Christianity, Jesus established a new covenant and offered salvation to both Jews and Gentiles, superseding the previous covenant rather than continuing it. A Jew in the present day would be one who believes in the Messianic prophecies, but believes they have yet to be fulfilled. And i haven't a clue what those beliefs have to do with the business practices of Facebook.

  18. Re:Ads don't require handing out users' data. Coun by AHuxley · · Score: 1

    Ads always result in data moving around. Some brands just hide that movement from users in fancy ways :)
    The user is always the product been sold for a "free" service :)

    --
    Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
  19. Irony by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The article is hidden behind a privacy invasion wall where you can't simply say no do not track

  20. Re: Cambridge? by reanjr · · Score: 1

    Because people draw a distinction between product ads and political ads. The law does too, for that matter.

  21. Let's be clear by argStyopa · · Score: 1

    They didn't "give" anyone anything.

    They sold it. That has always been their model.

    How precisely did you think zuckerberg got to be one of the world's richest men ?

    --
    -Styopa
  22. Privacy Chernobyl is upon us by GameboyRMH · · Score: 2

    Actually that's not a great analogy, in privacy terms this is even worse than the quasi-sabotage of Chernobyl, but the damage is worse than Chernobyl, Fukushima and Kyshtym combined.

    Everyone involved in this should be banned from working with personal information for life, and a concrete sarcophagus should be built over Facebook HQ.

    --
    "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    1. Re:Privacy Chernobyl is upon us by MrKaos · · Score: 1

      Actually that's not a great analogy, in privacy terms this is even worse than the quasi-sabotage of Chernobyl, but the damage is worse than Chernobyl, Fukushima and Kyshtym combined.

      No, it isn't. Privacy laws can be revised however civilizations can rise and fall in the amount of time that those radio isotopes have decayed through their daughter products.

      Everyone involved in this should be banned from working with personal information for life, and a concrete sarcophagus should be built over Facebook HQ.

      What do you personally do? Do you write to a congress critter expressing your outrage? Do you read proposed bad laws and try to stop them from passing? Did you lobby your representatives to work in your interests?

      No, you just keep whining and hoping someone else will defend your freedom and rights. Get used to disappointment, I've been doing it for 25 years now. Analysing hundreds, sometimes thousands, of pages of law which are basically converting our democracies from a covert to an overt police state. The AssAccess Bill passed recently in Australia gives all five eyes countries access to Facebook and everything else via intelligence sharing arrangements.

      What's that got to do with this? You're a product delivered to whoever will pay for your information so they can market or do what they want with it. Facebook offers an API for the task. You didn't value the information when you gave it away and now you're outraged because a company who obvious business model is to sell access is deriving value from it. What did you think would happen if you gave up all your data about who you associate with, it's so naive and you're only now realizing what a commodity information about yourself is. No one cares, tommorrow's another day and FB will still be selling you data in another 12 months time.

      I bet you're still using FB now.

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
    2. Re:Privacy Chernobyl is upon us by GameboyRMH · · Score: 1

      I'm still using Facebook as much as before, which is 0 because I don't have an account.

      Radioisotopes decay but the Internet never forgets.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    3. Re:Privacy Chernobyl is upon us by MrKaos · · Score: 1

      I'm still using Facebook as much as before, which is 0 because I don't have an account.

      ok good, a least you are not a hypocrite - Apologies if I was a bit harsh there however it seems like there are a lot of people prepared to join outrage culture without doing anything to change the situation. I too have never signed onto FB.

      Radioisotopes decay but the Internet never forgets.

      This is a belief system that is being subverted and used against us. Our truth is that it is gradually being used as a tool to enslave us. I'm more inclined to believe that everything on the internet is a lie until it can be aligned with what is known to be true.

      Unfortunately, the more self-serving we are the more effective the lies become.

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
    4. Re:Privacy Chernobyl is upon us by MrKaos · · Score: 1

      >civilizations can rise and fall in the amount of time that those radio isotopes have decayed through their daughter products. Oh come off it. Chernobyl is already safe enough that flora and fauna in the region are flourishing in the absence of humanity. So what, 30 years between an absurdly enormous nuclear disaster resulting from total incompetence on every level, and the site becoming an accidental wildlife preserve? That's a far cry from the tends of thousands of years+ anti-nukes are always whining about.

      Well go help clean up Fukushima. Oh that's right you're full of it and you don't know what you're talking about.

      It turns out that radiation is quite common, so all organisms are at least somewhat durable against it.

      Another moron that doesn't know the difference between radiashun and radionuclides, is too mentally limited to attempt to understand bio-accumulation in the food chain and continues to ignore the difference between internal and external radiation exposure.

      Fuck off idiot.

      --
      My ism, it's full of beliefs.
  23. If you aren't paying for it by wiredog · · Score: 1

    you are the product. Why are people still so surprised by this?

    Heck, you get people here at /. who are incensed that you actually have to pay full price for Apple products.

  24. I don't understand by Dan+East · · Score: 2

    I don't understand. When you have a company like Facebook, making BILLIONS of dollars from aboveboard, legit, standard advertising, why are they stooping so low to totally thrash user privacy for.... what? Another fraction of a percent additional revenue? This hints at some god-complex thing going on in the upper echelons of Facebook for these kinds of LARGE decisions to be made with other big corporations. My hunch this is for status symbol / power demonstration to show off to other multimillionaire executives the power you wield.

    --
    Better known as 318230.
  25. The more we learn about Facebook... by QuietLagoon · · Score: 1

    ... the worse Facebook looks. Is there a bottom to Facebook's decline?

  26. Re: Bible predicted it by rickb928 · · Score: 1

    " it was Pilate, a Roman, who proclaimed Jesus as the "King of the Jews. "

    To add to the depth of this discussion, Pilate probably came to that because Jesus was claimed to be the 'Son of God', calling God 'Father', a blasphemy to the ruling Jewish authorities, Pharisees and Sadducees. The declared Him deserving of death, but being proscribed from executing criminals etc, gave Him to the Romans, claiming He was leading a rebellion against the Roman authority. Close, that description.

    Of course, Jesus actually answered Pilate, variously translated as 'Yes, it is as you say'. (Matthew 27:11), and Pilate asked a crowd which of two prisoners should be set free to celebrate a festival, and they chose Barabbas. And so, Pilate washed his hands of the affair. On the cross, even 'chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. "He saved others", they said, "he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down from the cross..' (Matthew 27:41-42)

    So actually the Hebrew authorities mocked Him with that appellation. Huh.

    --
    deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
  27. Facebook didn't "Give" anyone anything. by sycodon · · Score: 1

    They sold it.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
  28. Re: Bible predicted it by rickb928 · · Score: 1

    Stay anonymous. It suits you.

    --
    deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
  29. Re: Just by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Why does this company still exist? Why is it even allowed to exist?

  30. Throw another log on the fire by Miser · · Score: 1

    Yet another reason to not have a Facebook account.

    (or delete yours if you have one)

  31. Jesus followed al jewish teachings by goombah99 · · Score: 1

    He said it himself, at no less a venue than the Sermon on the mounts
    Matthew 5:17–18
    “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”

    SO if he walks like a jew and quacks like a jew, he's a jew right?

    --
    Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
  32. Re:No shit. That's their business. by LordWabbit2 · · Score: 1

    Yeah, my ex is the same, always on FB, she is also in IT so she knows the implications and acts accordingly, but I don't want ANYONE knowing that much information about me. As soon as FB listed they become entirely profit driven (like any listed company) after that scruples fell to the wayside. One day when I am big and start my own company the day it gets listed is the day I cash out and walk away.

    --
    There are three kinds of falsehood: the first is a 'fib,' the second is a downright lie, and the third is statistics.