Facebook Updates Privacy Policies Amid Ongoing Data Scandal Scrutiny
Facebook revises its terms of service to clearly explain how it collects and shares user data across its family of apps, including Instagram and WhatsApp. The updated policies aim to provide greater transparency regarding advertising practices and device data collection.
Facebook updates its terms of service and data policy to clarify exactly what user information it collects and shares across its family of products, including Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus, and Messenger. The revised policies arrive while the company faces intense scrutiny over how it shares personal information with third parties in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica data leak, though the new rules do not ask for additional user data rights or change existing privacy controls.
The updated terms explicitly acknowledge that Facebook owns these other platforms and clearly state how the company uses data across its owned-and-operated products. This change addresses concerns from European regulators, as a German court recently rules that Facebook's default privacy settings and use of personal data are illegal due to a lack of clarity about cross-platform data sharing.
Furthermore, the new policy breaks down in clearer language how Facebook uses personal information for advertising, detailing how names, profile pictures, and previous ad interactions help target content. The update also explains what information the company shares with others and collects from users, covering newer features like Marketplace, Live, and 360 video that were added since the last policy amendment in 2015.