50M Facebook user profiles, one big data access scandal
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Facebook has come under fire after the profile data of 50 million users was collected by a UK data analytics firm and see by the Trump campaign during 2016 presidential election.
According to the New York Times, UK firm Cambridge Analytical collected data on millions of Facebook users The data came from an app called, this is you digital life which asked users to log into their Facebook accounts to get circled personality prediction.
The app also allowed people to share data from friends profile without their knowledge.
On Saturday, the New York Times revealed former Trump campaign chief strategist Steve Bannon hired Cambridge Analytica, getting access to data on millions of American voters and helping the campaign team target ads and refine speeches.
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In a blog post, Facebook says it wasn't hacked and users gave over their data willingly.
But Facebook Deputy General Counsel Paul Grewal said the creator of the thisisyourdigitallife app, Dr. Aleksandr Kogan, violated Facebook's policies by passing on data to Cambridge Analytica.
Grewal also noted, Facebook users can no longer share friends' data through apps Facebook has now suspended the accounts of Cambridge Analytica and it's parent company as well as whistle blower Christopher Wylie who revealed the story to the New York Times.
According to CBS news Wylie's attorney claimed Facebook privately welcomed the help.
Help offered by the whistleblower before publicly suspending him from the platform.
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