The probe came after revelations that data mining
firm Cambridge Analytica used ill-gotten data from
millions of Facebook users through an app, then
used the data to try to influence U.S. elections.
It led to a massive backlash against Facebook
that included CEO Mark Zuckerberg being called
to testify before Congress. The company is still
trying to repair its reputation.
Facebook said its app investigation is ongoing
and it has looked at millions of apps so far.
The company said it has banned a few apps
completely and has filed lawsuits against
some, including in May against a South Korean
data analytics company called Rankwave. In
April, it sued LionMobi , based in Hong Kong,
and JediMobi, based in Singapore, which the
company says made apps that infected users’
phones with malware.
Facebook settled with the Federal Trade Commission
for a record $5 billion this summer over privacy
violations that stemmed from the Cambridge
Analytica scandal. The company said the FTC
agreement “will bring its own set of requirements
for bringing oversight to app developers. It
requires developers to annually certify compliance
with our policies” and that developers who don’t
do this will be “held accountable.”
Also, a judge unsealed a subpoena by the
Massachusetts attorney general demanding
that the social network disclose the names of
apps and developers that obtained data from
its users without their consent. It also asked for
all Facebook internal communications about
those apps.
The state began investigating Facebook
whentheCambridgeAnalyticascandalbroke.
Image: Chip Somodevilla