Facebook Suspends Around 200 Apps for Misusing User Data After Internal Investigation

• Facebook revealed that they have suspended around 200 apps for violating data collection policies set in 2014.
• The suspended apps will be screened to confirm if user data was misused.
• Users who have been affected will be informed through the Your Info page on Facebook Help.

Following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Mark Zuckerberg promised a thorough app investigation and audit on March 21 of third-party apps on Facebook. The social media giant has identified and suspended around 200 apps for misusing user data.

With Facebook facing a lot of heat, the social media platform has been trying to ensure a repeat of the privacy scandal does not happen. The 200+ apps were suspended as part of the first stage of an internal audit. Most of the suspended apps had access to data that current Facebook policies set in 2014 do not allow, while others were suspended for not allowing the company to audit the apps.

Image Courtesy of Variety

Facebook revealed its audit process earlier today. The company revealed that the audit process involves two phases involving a back-end review to identify apps that have access to sensitive user data. There are internal and external experts who conduct both on-site and off-site inspections of apps. Once the apps are shortlisted, developers are screened by the experts and the process may involve on-site screening and requests for information (RFI).

Thousands of apps have already been screened, and around 200 apps have already been suspended for either rejecting the RFI or violating data access policies. The suspended apps are pending further investigation, which will involve verified if any data was misused by the apps. If found guilty, the apps will be permanently banned.

Users of any app that has access to data before 2015 will be notified through the Your Info page. If a user or the user’s friends have violating apps linked to their account, it will be notified on the page. The platform did the same during its audit of Cambridge Analytica, and users who have been affected by the Cambridge Analytica scandal should see a notification under the “Was my information shared?” section revealing if their data was compromised.

The social media giant stated that there is a lot more work to be done and it will take time to identify all apps that have misused user data. Facebook will continue updating users on its progress against data privacy violations over the weeks until the audit process is complete for all apps.