Facebook Suspends More Apps, Tightens Controls Over Data Access
September 20 2019 - 03:39PM
Dow Jones News
By Sarah E. Needleman
Facebook Inc. said it suspended tens of thousands of apps for
violating its rules around accessing and sharing information and
for failing to respond to company requests, a disclosure that comes
after the social-networking company was hit with a record $5
billion fine in July for failing to protect its users.
In a blog post Friday, Facebook said the suspended apps are
associated with about 400 developers, though many were still in
test phases. The company said it also banned some apps permanently
and that it recently filed lawsuits against some developers for
fraud or for failing to cooperate with an internal
investigation.
"App developers remain a vital part of the Facebook ecosystem,"
the company said in the blog post. "They help to make our world
more social and more engaging. But people need to know we're
protecting their privacy."
Facebook said it first began cracking down on apps that violate
its policies in March 2018 in response to its role in a scandal
involving Cambridge Analytica, a now-defunct data firm that worked
on President Trump's 2016 campaign.
The Federal Trade Commission opened a probe after reports
surfaced that Cambridge Analytica had improperly accessed the
personal data of tens of millions of Facebook users. In settling
the federal investigation, Facebook agreed to pay a $5 billion fine
and adopt new oversight practices, including creating a privacy
committee with independent board members.
Facebook in May 2018 said it suspended about 200 apps for
suspected misuse of users' information; months later, that number
grew to more than 400.
In addition to the app suspensions and removals, Facebook said
it created new rules to more tightly control developers' access to
its data. For example, apps that provide little value to users,
such as personality quizzes, may not be allowed, the company said.
Facebook also said it has expanded teams that investigate abuse of
data-access rules.
Separately, Facebook said its agreement with the FTC requires
developers to now certify compliance with its policies annually.
"Any developer that doesn't go along with these requirements will
be held accountable," the company said.
Write to Sarah E. Needleman at sarah.needleman@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
September 20, 2019 15:24 ET (19:24 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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