Things are not looking too great for Facebook after a leaked document was made public on how the company has no idea where data obtained from users go and what the app does with it.
The news is being looked upon as a tsunami in the terms of privacy regulations as many objections will arise pertaining to personal data usage by the app.
The document leaked was first obtained by Motherboard which is making it clear that the company is in hot waters as now it’s answerable to so many who view the issue as a fundamental concern.
According to the concerned document, so many systems were built on the basis of open borders. But that open culture paved the way to potential destruction as Facebook’s engineers seem clueless on the matter.
This document is stated to have been created last year by the tech giant’s privacy engineers who stand by their mission of establishing meaningful links across the platform for both users and businesses.
It was shocking to see Facebook’s own workforce sounding the alarm and requesting a change regarding how the company handles data belonging to users. Similarly, it was highlighted how the time had come to act seriously before the platform ends in hot water with other nations and their stringent regulations pertaining to user privacy.
The engineers were clueless about the app’s systems, how data is really used, and also in regards to the platform having minimal control over the matter.
Other parts of the leaked document shed light on a great many reservations engineers held about the privacy concern and also how regulators expect them to make promises that they can’t possibly fulfill.
To put it simply, Facebook is struggling at making sense and keeping track of where data lands up after entering the system.
In the recent past, we’ve seen regulators put limits on leading tech giants and platforms like Facebook regarding users’ data. To be more specific, one of the greatest regulations that came into place was the GDPR by the EU.
This stated that any data belonging to users must be specified for legit purposes, instead of being passed on further.
For instance, any user’s location or religion can only be used for a set purpose and never reused again.
Legal experts gave their two cents on the matter and how the GDPR inhibits repurposing. But the fact that Facebook says the matter is out of their hands because they’ve got no way to control what goes on in the systems means the app can’t even limit the handling of data.
At the end of the day, the question stands at whether or not Facebook is competent enough to handle information belonging to others. And that means staying aligned with the latest privacy regulations and controlling where the data flows.
But one of the company’s spokespeople has come out and denied the claims on how the leaked document showed the firm’s incompetency in handling matters relating to user privacy. Also, it claims that the app does not go against its own regulations regarding privacy concerns.
Furthermore, they shunned all reports about the leaked document, adding how it was wrong to judge that Facebook is noncompliant with users’ trust issues.
A former unnamed employee called the leaked report blunt, adding how the company did have information stored in its data centers regarding the matter, as he denied the company’s stance on the situation.
One privacy expert says that the document is a clear indication of how the company can’t abide by any regulations.
At the end of it all, companies like Facebook must be able to inform their users as well as regulators about how even the smallest piece of data is being handled, where its kept, and for what purpose.
Additionally, Facebook’s leaked document also briefly highlighted their unreleased ‘Basic Ads’ which is another term reserved for answers generated to different regulations from around the globe.
Whenever it is launched, users can expect to select the option that enables them to opt out of any third-party systems using their data for ads.
While it was expected to be launched in 2020 in Europe, Facebook has clearly missed its own deadline that was once created by its own employees.
H/T: Vice.
Read next: Data Reveals TikTok Dominates Facebook In Screen Time
The news is being looked upon as a tsunami in the terms of privacy regulations as many objections will arise pertaining to personal data usage by the app.
The document leaked was first obtained by Motherboard which is making it clear that the company is in hot waters as now it’s answerable to so many who view the issue as a fundamental concern.
According to the concerned document, so many systems were built on the basis of open borders. But that open culture paved the way to potential destruction as Facebook’s engineers seem clueless on the matter.
This document is stated to have been created last year by the tech giant’s privacy engineers who stand by their mission of establishing meaningful links across the platform for both users and businesses.
It was shocking to see Facebook’s own workforce sounding the alarm and requesting a change regarding how the company handles data belonging to users. Similarly, it was highlighted how the time had come to act seriously before the platform ends in hot water with other nations and their stringent regulations pertaining to user privacy.
The engineers were clueless about the app’s systems, how data is really used, and also in regards to the platform having minimal control over the matter.
Other parts of the leaked document shed light on a great many reservations engineers held about the privacy concern and also how regulators expect them to make promises that they can’t possibly fulfill.
To put it simply, Facebook is struggling at making sense and keeping track of where data lands up after entering the system.
In the recent past, we’ve seen regulators put limits on leading tech giants and platforms like Facebook regarding users’ data. To be more specific, one of the greatest regulations that came into place was the GDPR by the EU.
This stated that any data belonging to users must be specified for legit purposes, instead of being passed on further.
For instance, any user’s location or religion can only be used for a set purpose and never reused again.
Legal experts gave their two cents on the matter and how the GDPR inhibits repurposing. But the fact that Facebook says the matter is out of their hands because they’ve got no way to control what goes on in the systems means the app can’t even limit the handling of data.
At the end of the day, the question stands at whether or not Facebook is competent enough to handle information belonging to others. And that means staying aligned with the latest privacy regulations and controlling where the data flows.
But one of the company’s spokespeople has come out and denied the claims on how the leaked document showed the firm’s incompetency in handling matters relating to user privacy. Also, it claims that the app does not go against its own regulations regarding privacy concerns.
Furthermore, they shunned all reports about the leaked document, adding how it was wrong to judge that Facebook is noncompliant with users’ trust issues.
A former unnamed employee called the leaked report blunt, adding how the company did have information stored in its data centers regarding the matter, as he denied the company’s stance on the situation.
One privacy expert says that the document is a clear indication of how the company can’t abide by any regulations.
At the end of it all, companies like Facebook must be able to inform their users as well as regulators about how even the smallest piece of data is being handled, where its kept, and for what purpose.
Additionally, Facebook’s leaked document also briefly highlighted their unreleased ‘Basic Ads’ which is another term reserved for answers generated to different regulations from around the globe.
Whenever it is launched, users can expect to select the option that enables them to opt out of any third-party systems using their data for ads.
While it was expected to be launched in 2020 in Europe, Facebook has clearly missed its own deadline that was once created by its own employees.
H/T: Vice.
Read next: Data Reveals TikTok Dominates Facebook In Screen Time