Facebook slammed for allowing smartphone makers access to user data

Social media giant Facebook has been called out for allowing a number of tech companies, including smartphone manufacturers, access to a sea of data about its users.

Reports claim 60 device manufacturers, including the likes of Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and BlackBerry had partnerships with Facebook allowing them access to user data. In return, manufacturers could offer customers features like messaging or the ‘like’ button.

The problem with the deal, however, is that it breaks compliance with the 2011 consent decree from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of the United States, and means that manufacturers could also access the data of users’ friends, without their unequivocal consent.

According to the New York Times, some device makers could get data from users’ friends believed to have blocked any and all data sharing.

These partnerships are still active, even though Facebook started toning them down a few months back.

Facebook defended its position, saying the partnerships are in line with its privacy policy, with the Federal Trade Commission’s agreement, and that it limited how the data could be used.