Facebook allowed phone makers to access users' data: Report
New York, June 4: Raising fresh concerns about Facebook's privacy protection policies, a New York Times report has exposed how the social network allowed about 60 device makers, including Apple and Samsung, to access personal information of users and their friends.
Even before Facebook apps were widely available on smartphones, Facebook had data-sharing partnerships with the device makers, the report said citing company officials, adding that most of the deals remain in effect.
While the device partnerships allowed Facebook to expand its reach, it let the phone makers offer customers popular features of the social network, such as messaging, "like" buttons and address books.
The deals raise concerns about the company's privacy protections and compliance with a 2011 consent decree with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), The Times said.
Facebook, which is already under scrutiny for misuse of millions of its users' data after the Cambridge Analytica data leak scandal became public, reportedly allowed the device companies access to the data of users' friends without their explicit consent.
While Facebook's leaders said that the kind of access exploited by the political consulting firm in 2014 was cut off by the next year as it prohibited developers from collecting information from users' friends.
But the company officials did not disclose that such restrictions were not applicable to makers of cellphones, tablets and other hardware, the report said.
However, Facebook officials denied the device partnerships violated its privacy policies, the FTC agreement and pledges to users.
They said its partnerships were governed by contracts that strictly limited use of the data, including any stored on partners' servers, adding that they knew of no cases where the information had been misused.
"These partnerships work very differently from the way in which app developers use our platform," Ime Archibong, a Facebook vice president was quoted as saying.
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Woman calls out Mumbai’s ‘insane’ prices after visiting Singapore, world’s most expensive city
Mumbai: An Indian tourist recently took to social media to express her shock at the high cost of living in Mumbai, comparing it to Singapore, often ranked as the world’s most expensive city.
The woman, who goes by the name Subi on X (formerly Twitter), was surprised to find that the prices at cafes and restaurants in Singapore were comparable to those in Mumbai, particularly in posh areas like Bandra.
Subi, who visited Singapore for a week, shared her experience and called out the cost of dining out, coffee, Ubers, and other experiences in Mumbai. She termed it 'insane,' despite the significant economic disparity between the two cities.
“Was in Singapore for a week and I shook how Mumbai is so expensive when it comes to nice cafes/restaurants and going out, coffee, Ubers, experiences etc. Like Singapore was just as/very slightly more expensive as most restaurants in Bandra and that's absolutely insane,” she wrote on X.
In her post, Subi also touched on the issue of economic inequality, noting that even something as simple as a cup of coffee in Mumbai, which can cost upwards of Rs 450, has become a luxury for many. “It's because of the inequality that even little things like grabbing a coffee from a cafe is a ‘luxury’ that costs 450 rupees while most of us don't make as much as our developed country counterparts to make these expenses make sense,” she added.
Her remarks sparked a discussion, with several users attributing the high costs in Indian cities to a combination of inflated real estate prices and classism. One user opined that Indian cities are insanely overpriced for everything, adding, "I feel like it’s a combination of crazy high rents inflating everything and classism—people want to be gated away from most of society."
A user identified as Sharan Gaba pointed to Mumbai’s skyrocketing real estate prices as a key factor driving up the cost of dining out. "Real estate prices in Mumbai drive up costs for restaurants, who compensate by overcharging customers," Gaba wrote. However, Subi responded by highlighting that rent in Singapore is significantly higher than in Mumbai, yet the prices for basic services remain similar. “In India we premium-ize everything because classism and we want to keep everyone away,” Subi added.
was in Singapore for a week and I shook how mumbai is SO expensive when it comes to nice cafes/restaurants and going out, coffee, ubers, experiences etc. like Singapore was just as/very slightly more expensive as most restaurants in bandra and that's absolutely insane
— subiii (@_subiii_) November 15, 2024
