Recently, shocking reveals were made by Cambridge Analytical and Facebook data scandals, whereby Cambridge analytical revealed that 50 million Facebook users’ data were given access to third party organization.
The more sensitive and shocking point is this that “data was given access to third party during the U.S Presidential Election Campaign of 2016. From this, it clearly reveals that how much social media affected and impacted on the US 2016 Presidential elections.
According to Whistleblower, Cambridge Analytic a collected 50 million user’s data. After collecting this data, a software was developed that profiled these users to foresee the voting patterns. Bear in mind that 50 million figures were admitted by Facebook Administration and its owner, but it could be high up to 87 million.
It is pertinent to mention that no one can get access to any social media user data unless social network or account holder didn’t allow it like Google+, Twitter, Facebook or any other social network.
When any third party or any stranger can’t get access to your Facebook account without your prior permission, how it is possible to get access to those 87 million FB users. From this it can be clearly derived that Facebook, at its own and without approval or permission of account holder, given access the third party to those 87 million or 50 million user’s data.
Zuckerberg, 33, Owner / CEO of Facebook, broken his saliency over Cambridge Anaytica scandal and said in his Facebook Post.
I started Facebook, and at the end of the day, I’m responsible for what happens on our platform. I’m serious about doing what it takes to protect our community.
He further stated that:
Facebook has a “responsibility” to protect its users’ data and if it fails, “we don’t deserve to serve you.
He acknowledged that there is more the company needs to do. Mark Zuckerberg said:
…But we also made mistakes, there’s more to do, and we need to step up and do it.
In the instant article, we’ll learn that how it is possible to protect our data from sharing to any third party or even by developers to any third party without prior approval / permission.
What Are You Sharing?
Whenever you want to use a new social media service or hire any online service, you are asked to fill a registration form to create your account / sign-up. When you create an account of any social media like Facebook, twitter, Google, Instagram, LinkedIn or any other online service, you provide or enter following details in signing up process.
- Full Name (First and Last name).
- Date of Birth.
- Profile photo.
- Mail i.e. Gmail, hot mail, yahoo mail etc.
- Work history.
- Education i.e. school name, degree.
- Service.
- Current status in organization (it is asked when you create account on Pinterest).
Similarly when you open another app like Quiz app, personality test app, future telling app, your best friends app etc., the app request you to give access to your friends list and basic profile information and you click on “accept” button without considering this that why an app need to know your school name, list of friends and other basic information? These apps included Dropbox, Etsy, Feedly, CNET, change.org, Canva, Bookish, Bandcamp, Adobe etc.
How to Disconnect Apps
Go to App Setting of your page to check that to how many apps you’ve given permission to access your data. It would be appalling and dreadful for you that how many apps are listed there and those apps are using your data with your permission which you give them.
When I checked my FB profile and visited the app page setting, there were nine (09) apps were listed which I permitted. You can also see check on your Facebook that to how many apps you’ve given permission to access your data.
Next, click on any app to see that what information you are sharing to the developers of that app. However you can stop the access of all those apps to your account to keep your data safe and secure from any third party source. You can also stop those sites to share your data.
You’ll find the “remove” button on the right hand side of those apps, select an app that you want to remove or all apps and remove them from your site. You’ll be asked that “do you want to remove all the posts including videos, of those apps which they shared on your account”, click on OK.
The precise and accurate choices presented as you click an app will rely on developer of app. occasionally you’ll be capable to outlook a complete privacy policy, but it’s not compulsory in favor of developers to provide one. If you agreed to an app and granted authorization to post to your wall, eliminating it will provide you the option to delete those posts
Remember! If you removed an app from your Facebook account, the developer may even then have your data on file. Facebook says that the single method you are able to remove this is to get in touch with the developer of the app yourself.
Be Careful in Future
To permanently stop your Facebook data to share with third party, select “edit” under “Apps, websites and plug-in” and disconnect your FB account from those sites, apps, services and plug-in on permanent basis.
Now, your account is safe and secure. Even if any of your friends from the friends list, can install any third part source and give access to his / her information, your account along with all information is safe and secure. Now any third party can’t access your site unless you again permit them.
In future, whenever you give access to any site, app or plug-in to your Facebook account, check that either the information of your account requested by that app is really worthwhile for it, is it relevant to that app or for what purpose it is requesting to get access to your account. Otherwise in 2020 US Presidential Elections, your profile may again be used for electoral voting.
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