Worrying partnerships between Facebook and device makers - Internet Sans Frontières

Paris, May 25, 2018: Internet Without Borders expresses its concern regarding the latest revelation, in the New York Times, about Facebook’s partnerships with device makers and what such deals may imply regarding Facebook’s users’ personal data.

According to the New York Times, the company began forming partnerships with device makers in  2017.  This was meant to reach a wider audience beyond desktop computer users. That is to say, users of mobile phones, smart TVs, game consoles and other devices. Accordingly, Facebook allowed these device makers access to the data of users’ friends without their approval. Sadly, this is not the first instance where Facebook grants a third party access to its users’ personal information without their consent. in 2014, Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm, unlawfully used personal information of millions of Facebook users, in 2014, in order to predict voters’ behavior and create personalized targeted political advertisements.

“The responsibility for data protection should be the same for intermediaries, device manufacturers, and online service providers. This type of revelation will continue as long as universal principles of law are not accepted on this issue”  said Archippe Yepmou, President of Internet Without Borders.

Internet Sans Frontières calls Facebook to be more transparent with its users, to give priority to the protection of their personal information on the profit of companies, and to adopt a stricter regulation on digital privacy.

For more information:
Contact Archippe Yepmou, President of Internet Without Borders
Phone number +337 58 83 07 67
Email archippe@internetsansfrontieres.org