Facebook 'Unintentionally Uploaded' Email Contacts From 1.5M Users (cnet.com)

Facebook "unintentionally" harvested the email contacts of about 1.5 million of its users during the past three years. From a report: The activity came to light when a security researcher noticed that Facebook was asking users to enter their email passwords to verify their identities when signing up for an account, according to Business Insider, which previously reported on the practice. Those who did enter their passwords then saw a pop-up message that said it was "importing" their contacts -- without first asking permission, BI reported. A Facebook spokesperson confirmed that 1.5 million people's contacts were collected in this manner since May 2016 to help build Facebook's web of social connections and recommend other users to add as friends.

Comments

They also uploaded from their mobile apps

[Drew M.]

In addition to that, without asking you, they uploaded all of your mobile phone contacts when you installed their mobile app: https://www.huffpost.com/entry...

This is why I only access facebook from the web on mobile

Re:uhh.. sounds very much 'intentional' to me..

[Spamalope]

Someone just now noticed how Facebook's app works? First run on a phone it steals the contact list - then asks what your privacy preferences are. I used a phone with a honey pot address book last time I tested that app...

Re:uhh.. sounds very much 'intentional' to me..

[goose-incarnated]

to help build Facebook's web ...

someone's just finally calling them out on this much more widespread practice than the article leads you to believe.

The bigger, ignored, story is that facebook got the passwords to millions of users' email accounts.