Whether or not FB is creepy is less of a point in this article than the apps which are the ones sending the data. Especially the data that appears to breach FB's privacy agreement. It seems that this is an APP issue and Apple issue to address.
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Some iOS Apps Sending an Alarming Amount of Data to Facebook and Most Users Are Unaware
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maybe apple should allow full device content blockers instead of getting rid of vpn adblock apps that would block this type of data acquisition
I have no doubts that this is a true article- facebook is the new Google when it comes to information harvesting. There's a reason you can visit walmart.com (using a totally separate app) and the very next time you are using facebook, you suddenly have a string of ads from walmart with the very category or related items to what you looked at on walmart.com (or Amazon, or a myriad of other retailers, especially those with their own apps). it is unreal.
BUT - I'm curious - is the WSJ trying to say that Android-based devices are not harvesting sensitive info without explicit permission to do so?
BUT - I'm curious - is the WSJ trying to say that Android-based devices are not harvesting sensitive info without explicit permission to do so?
They can't? Then they can't say their system is secure and they care about privacy. Same for their users. The end.
Boycott Facebook! Facebook should lose the ads and the fake news and just go back to being a way to keep in touch with people. Even if you have to charge a fee, that's fine.
This is why you never buy a smartphone with Android/Google OS that has Facebook Pre-Installed into its OS with no uninstall option. That disable option is simply BS..
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I believe alot of this kind of stuff comes from developers linking in the Facebook SDK into their iPhone app when they build it (like not much effort) and then they get more (essentially free) money whenever their app is run by their customers.
And it doesn't matter if you have an account with Facebook or not, they create accounts for people who exist but aren't signed on with Facebook to track them - because its useful to them to have the full picture.
Apple will need to ban this (the linking of 3rd party user monitoring toolkits) for app development and then verify the builds for certification. This is "newish" and its time for Apple to batten the hatches down to protect their customers from the surveilers further.
And it doesn't matter if you have an account with Facebook or not, they create accounts for people who exist but aren't signed on with Facebook to track them - because its useful to them to have the full picture.
Apple will need to ban this (the linking of 3rd party user monitoring toolkits) for app development and then verify the builds for certification. This is "newish" and its time for Apple to batten the hatches down to protect their customers from the surveilers further.
I keep telling people to get rid of facebook, seems like most just don't know or care about their privacy.
Did anyone see a link to the full list of apps (70, I think it said)? I couldn't find it in the article, but may have missed it.
I stopped using Facepalm, I mean Facebook and never did download their app.
Germany and China long ago warned about Facebook. One of the reasons China never allowed Facebook in China.
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What happens on your phone stays on your phone, apple marketing!
Idc how they do, if they promise it.
We have AI we have cheap India. Labour, if a newspaper can do it, apple should, too
If am in charge, I would not brawl about how many apps in store, but how many quality, constant reviewed apps.
No one needs iDknow 100000 apps, apple could build solid relationships with solid developers, giving a quality badge, whatever, hiring script kiddies to constantly evaluate this apps, it’s all so cheap n easy nowadays.
As cheap as many excuses I constantly hear
The full report appears to be behind a paywall
I'm surprised by this revelation, but should I really at this point? Sad, to see such major sites, like realtor.com doing such things.
I wonder if you see the irony in your statement. The fact that WSJ is behind a paywall is precisely the reason they don’t need to harvest your personal data for advertising in order to turn a profit (though admittedly they do sell ads - it’s just not their primary profit driver).
When a product like FB is free, there’s a good chance you are the product.
It's no secret that Facebook is harvesting incredible amounts of data on all of its users (and some that don't even use the service), but what may come as a surprise is just how detailed and intimate some of that data is.
A report from The Wall Street Journal takes a look at some of the apps on iOS that provide data to Facebook, with that info then used for advertising purposes.
Instant Heart Rate: HR Monitor, for example, the most popular heart rate app on iOS, sent a user's heart rate to Facebook right after it was recorded in The Wall Street Journal's testing. Flo Period & Ovulation Tracker, which has 25 million active users, tells Facebook when a user is having a period or is intending to get pregnant.
Realtor.com, meanwhile, provides Facebook with the location and price of listings that a user viewed. With Flo in particular, it says it does not send this kind of sensitive data in its privacy policy, but then goes ahead and does so anyway.
Many of these apps are sending this data without "any prominent or specific disclosure," according to The Wall Street Journal's testing. Facebook collects data from apps even if no Facebook account is used to log in and even if the user isn't a member of Facebook.
Apps are sharing this data to take advantage of Facebook analytics tools that allow them to target their users more precisely with Facebook ads.
Apple does not require apps to disclose all of the partners that they share data with, and while certain personal information can be blocked, like contacts or location, more sensitive data, like health and fitness details, can be readily shared by these apps as there's no option to turn off this kind of data sharing.
Users can turn off Facebook's targeted advertising, but have no way to prevent apps from surreptitiously sending collected data to Facebook in the first place.
Facebook claimed that some of the data sharing The Wall Street Journal uncovered violates its business terms, and has asked these apps to stop sending information app users would consider sensitive.
The Wall Street Journal spoke to an Apple spokesperson, who said its App Store Guidelines require apps to obtain user consent for collecting data.At least 11 out of the 70 apps tested by The Wall Street Journal were sending sensitive user data to Facebook, including six of the top 15 health and fitness apps. There's little end users can do, except for be wary of the apps they're choosing to download. Apple in the future could introduce more stringent guidelines and policy controls that would better put a stop to this kind of intrusive data harvesting.
The Wall Street Journal's full report, which is well worth reading, offers more detail on how it tested these apps and how some of the apps responded.
Article Link: Some iOS Apps Sending an Alarming Amount of Data to Facebook and Most Users Are Unaware
That is a invasion of privacy.
Here, let me fix this for you:
"It’s exactly this kind of crippety-crap that gives rise to consumer-friendly stuff like the GDPR, which returns at least partial control over personal information from out-of-control data collectors back to the people".
I sincerely hope the EU brings down the hammer on the developers of apps like the ones mentioned in the WSJ article that share deeply personal information without consent or even proper disclosure. Sadly, the for-sale US congress probably won't do anything.
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I took a screenshot of the article. I tried to upload the picture but am getting security alert failure messages. If you PM me, I can send the picture via email to you.The full report appears to be behind a paywall
I'm surprised by this revelation, but should I really at this point? Sad, to see such major sites, like realtor.com doing such things.
You really got to read entire terms of service before using a 3rd party app. Hence I mostly use Apple own apps with very few exceptions.
It's no secret that Facebook is harvesting incredible amounts of data on all of its users (and some that don't even use the service), but what may come as a surprise is just how detailed and intimate some of that data is.
A report from The Wall Street Journal takes a look at some of the apps on iOS that provide data to Facebook, with that info then used for advertising purposes.
Instant Heart Rate: HR Monitor, for example, the most popular heart rate app on iOS, sent a user's heart rate to Facebook right after it was recorded in The Wall Street Journal's testing. Flo Period & Ovulation Tracker, which has 25 million active users, tells Facebook when a user is having a period or is intending to get pregnant.
Realtor.com, meanwhile, provides Facebook with the location and price of listings that a user viewed. With Flo in particular, it says it does not send this kind of sensitive data in its privacy policy, but then goes ahead and does so anyway.
Many of these apps are sending this data without "any prominent or specific disclosure," according to The Wall Street Journal's testing. Facebook collects data from apps even if no Facebook account is used to log in and even if the user isn't a member of Facebook.
Apps are sharing this data to take advantage of Facebook analytics tools that allow them to target their users more precisely with Facebook ads.
Apple does not require apps to disclose all of the partners that they share data with, and while certain personal information can be blocked, like contacts or location, more sensitive data, like health and fitness details, can be readily shared by these apps as there's no option to turn off this kind of data sharing.
Users can turn off Facebook's targeted advertising, but have no way to prevent apps from surreptitiously sending collected data to Facebook in the first place.
Facebook claimed that some of the data sharing The Wall Street Journal uncovered violates its business terms, and has asked these apps to stop sending information app users would consider sensitive.
The Wall Street Journal spoke to an Apple spokesperson, who said its App Store Guidelines require apps to obtain user consent for collecting data.At least 11 out of the 70 apps tested by The Wall Street Journal were sending sensitive user data to Facebook, including six of the top 15 health and fitness apps. There's little end users can do, except for be wary of the apps they're choosing to download. Apple in the future could introduce more stringent guidelines and policy controls that would better put a stop to this kind of intrusive data harvesting.
The Wall Street Journal's full report, which is well worth reading, offers more detail on how it tested these apps and how some of the apps responded.
Article Link: Some iOS Apps Sending an Alarming Amount of Data to Facebook and Most Users Are Unaware
How about you removing the involved Facebook API endpoints so they can't even send it to you?
Oh wait, that would actually hurt you, right.
It DOES matter because without using it, they cannot tailor their advertising for You, and even can’t perfectly complete your profile!
That's why I said **** off to Facebook and Google. 2 of the most disgusting and inhumane things ever on the internet. Stop using these services and teach the younger generation about them so that they can be well informed.
On 2nd thought, Apple should remove and ban Facebook, and Google apps on the app store and any other apps that are made by them.
On 2nd thought, Apple should remove and ban Facebook, and Google apps on the app store and any other apps that are made by them.
I don't know about irony, but I would have liked to read the whole story that was being reported. Its not something I'm willing to pay for. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Don't worry about it, I think something like this generate more discussions and I'll get to see more details as time goes on.