Facebook is under scrutiny for privacy snafus once again. The social-networking giant’s third-party application partners are reportedly sharing private information with advertisers.
A Wall Street Journal investigation discovered that many of the most popular apps have been delivering personal identifying information — including names and sometimes friends’ names — to advertising and Internet tracking companies.
In a practice that flies in the face of Facebook’s efforts to put users in control of what they share, the Journal estimates tens of millions of Facebook app users — even those who chose the strictest privacy settings — aren’t aware that their information has been shared.
The clear violation of Facebook rules is leading some privacy advocates to suggest that Facebook can’t control what goes on under its banner. And analysts say Facebook isn’t the only platform where third-party apps are sharing data without end-user knowledge.
Facebook Responds
Facebook couldn’t immediately be reached for comment, but an unidentified spokesperson told the Journal that the site is taking steps to “dramatically limit” the problem and is even planning to introduce new technology to stop the issue.
“A Facebook user ID may be inadvertently shared by a user’s Internet browser or by an application,” the spokesperson told the Journal. The spokesperson added, however, that knowing the ID doesn’t share access to a user’s private information on the social-networking site.
“Our technical systems have always been complemented by strong policy enforcement, and we will continue to rely on both to keep people in control of their information,” the Facebook official said.
Widespread Problem
Although the Journal’s investigation focused on Facebook, Greg Sterling, principal analyst at Sterling Market Intelligence, said the issue isn’t limited to Facebook. In fact, he said, the same scenario was taking place on many Android apps, and on the iPhone in a few cases.
“It happens online more broadly than…