US: Facebook shares user data with other tech giants

Facebook reportedly formed data-sharing partnerships with dozens of device makers, including Apple and Samsung, giving them access to information on users, as well as on users’ friends.

The New York Times revealed the extent of the partnerships on Sunday, June 3, shedding new light on the social media giant’s behavior related to customer data in the wake of a scandal involving the political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica.

The Times found that the company had at least 60 such deals over the past decade, many of which are still in effect, allowing the other companies access to personal data of Facebook users and their friends.

The partnerships may have also violated a 2011 Federal Trade Commission consent decree, according to The Times, which Facebook officials denied.

The report comes as Facebook has come under scrutiny for its handling of private data after it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica accessed millions of users’ private information.

Full Content: The New York Times

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