The bad times just keep rolling for Facebook Inc (Nasdaq: FB). Regulators have officially confirmed that they're investigating the company's data practices amid the Cambridge Analytica breach. It seems like the probe is coming just in time, as we are also hearing that Facebook may have been scraping vast amounts of data from Android users. Facebook stock tanked another 5% right out of the gate on Monday, but analysts continue to advise investors to buy it on the pullback.
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New data allegations against Facebook
Ars Technica reported over the weekend that Facebook seems to have been scraping large amounts of call and text data from Android users for years. The tech site states that upon reviewing archives of the data Facebook pulled from them, multiple users have found call-log data from their Android devices dating back to at least 2015. Users' archives also include metadata from text messages sent and received on their Android devices and information on their contacts.
Facebook vehemently denies that it has been wrongfully collecting data from users. The social media firm claims that it received permission from users to collect their call and text history, despite the fact that so many users seem surprised that this is happening. The company describes this data collection as an “opt-in” feature.
It's easy to see why Facebook can say that it receives permission to collect this data, and it all goes back to the issue of app permissions. There has been concern in the past about what types of information apps are given permission to access, and it's starting to sound like Facebook's app could be just as guilty as numerous other apps when it comes to asking for access to data it doesn't really need. The issue calls to mind Sarahah, another social media app that became hugely popular last year and was blasted for doing the same thing Facebook seems to have been doing. It also highlights just how important it is to thoroughly read everything apps are asking you when installing them.