Facebook Launches $40,000 Data Abuse Bounty Before Congressional Hearing
Facebook introduces a bounty program offering up to $40,000 to reporters of app data abuse, aiming to curb criticism ahead of Mark Zuckerberg's Senate testimony.
Facebook launches a new bounty program that offers up to $40,000 to people who report app developers for misusing user data. This announcement comes just ahead of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's testimony before the Senate, acting as part of a broader effort to address the intense criticism surrounding the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The rewards start at $500 and operate similarly to Facebook's existing bug bounty program that targets traditional hackers.
To qualify for a payout, a reported app must affect more than 10,000 users and demonstrate a clear pattern of data abuse rather than simple collection. Facebook specifies that abuse involves transferring data to third parties without proper permission, and the company excludes scenarios like scraping, malware, and issues involving its other platforms like Instagram. Additionally, the tech giant clarifies that these bounties do not apply retroactively to past violations.
The program requires whistleblowers to keep their findings completely confidential and allow Facebook time to investigate before going public. In exchange for following these strict rules and cooperating with the investigation, Facebook promises not to sue the reporters. This condition effectively keeps potential scandals out of the media spotlight and away from further congressional scrutiny as the company attempts to manage its ongoing privacy crisis.