Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that Facebook has been going through quite the crisis recently. Trust in the big blue social network has been severely dented and head honcho Mark Zuckerberg was called to testify in front of Congress.
Since the first reports of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook has been under increasing pressure to disclose more details about what user data it shares and who with. We recently reported on the latest chapter of the scandal, which saw 61 companies being given extended access to user data. The pressure grew further when it emerged that Chinese companies like Huawei we’re getting their hands on Facebook user data.
In response to the growing pressure, Facebook has decided to release a list of the companies, which you can see below, that were granted special access to user data. Each company had, according to the BBC:
“… been given a temporary exemption to a block on apps accessing details about users’ friends.”
The 61 companies Facebook allowed special access to your data
ABCSocial, ABC Television Network
Actiance
Adium
Anschutz Entertainment Group
AOL
Arktan / Janrain
Audi
biNu
Cerulean Studios
Coffee Meets Bagel
DataSift
Dingtone
Double Down Interactive
Endomondo
Flowics, Zauber Labs
Garena
Global Relay Communications
Hearsay Systems
Hinge
HiQ International AB
Hootsuite
Krush Technologies
LiveFyre / Adobe Systems
Mail.ru
MiggoChat
Monterosa Productions Limited
never.no AS
NIKE
Nimbuzz
NISSAN MOTOR CO / Airbiquity Inc.
Oracle
Panasonic
Playtika
Postano, TigerLogic Corporation
Raidcall
RealNetworks, Inc.
RegED / Stoneriver RegED
Reliance/Saavn
Rovi
Salesforce/Radian6
SeaChange International
Serotek Corp.
Shape Services
Smarsh
Snap
Social SafeGuard
Socialeyes LLC
SocialNewsdesk
Socialware / Proofpoint
SoundayMusic
Spotify
Spredfast
Sprinklr / Sprinklr Japan
Storyful Limited / News Corp
Tagboard
Telescope
Tradable Bits, TradableBits Media Inc.
UPS
Vidpresso
Vizrt Group AS
Wayin
What does this all mean?
This special access was granted after May 2015, when Facebook updated to a more restrictive system. Until then app developers were able to request Facebook data including name, gender, birthdate, location, photos, and page likes. The new system enacted a more stringent review process and removed access to friend’s data, but the above companies were given an exemption, of up to 6 months from the May 2015 deadline, before having to sign up to the system.
Facebook hasn’t explained why the 61 companies were given the extra time before having to comply with the new, stricter rules.
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