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An badysis of the Wall Street Journal shows how popular applications transmit sensitive data to the Facebook group. This is health data about heart rate, weight or menstruation. But the prices recorded for the apartment search are also included. Journalists have used software to examine what data is transmitted to 70 popular applications from the Apple Store.
Eleven of them had received sensitive data. In many cases, this has happened without users being informed. Often, there was no way to prevent data transfer. According to the report, experts have stated that this practice in Europe could constitute a violation of the Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Also affected are users who do not have a Facebook account. The data will be shared via a development interface designed to allow personalized advertising on Facebook.
Against the terms and conditions
The Flo app, with which women can record their menstrual cycles, is one example. If a user enters information, the application sends a packet of data to Facebook. According to the report, it contains information about the device on which the user has installed the application and about the data collected by Flo, such as the ovulation of the user. Such Facebook data can connect, among other things, to existing user profiles.
A spokeswoman for the company told The Wall Street Journal that app providers would violate the terms of use of this practice. These would prohibit the sending of "health or financial data or other types of sensitive information" to Facebook. The company has therefore asked the relevant application providers not to share this information. If they do not care, Facebook will take other measures.
Facebook is under pressure
In the past, similar badessments had already been done showing how different applications share data with Facebook. The Wall Street Journal report remains difficult for Faceboook. Because the company has been criticized more and more violently because of its handling of user data. US authorities are investigating because Facebook has granted Cambridge Analytica strategic data management company access to data from millions of users.
In Germany, the Bundeskartellamt banned early February Facebook to merge data from different sources into individual Facebook accounts in Germany without the explicit consent of users. These are subsidiaries of companies such as Whatsapp or Instagram, as well as websites and applications of other operators.
Created: 23.02.2019, 21:40
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