The recent scandal of Facebook and Cambridge Analytica has raised many important questions about the data privacy of the users. Is Facebook collecting and selling your data without your consent?

Well, if we look carefully, the question highlights two very important concerns.

•  Is Facebook selling your private data to advertisers?

The short answer is NO.

Facebook shows targeted advertisements by using the information available on the user profiles and other information they have collected over time but does not sell your data to third-parties.

•  Is your private data being used without asking your consent?

Sadly, the answer to this question is YES. Your data might have been used without your consent.

This incident has created an atmosphere of distrust among Facebook and its users and rightly so. Due to the gross negligence of the “world’s largest social network”, the Cambridge Analytica was able to access millions of users personal data.

How does it happen?

In light of the most recent story, we must discuss the issues with third-party applications first.

The problem occurred because users generally tend to accept the terms and conditions of third-party apps without reading it properly. This, technically, gives the consent to third-party applications to access your private information stored in your profile. Cambridge Analytica used this to their advantage and exploited users’ data for their own benefit.

In response, Facebook has cut down the amount of information it shares with the third-party applications. However, there can be a massive amount of users’ data still present in their database, which was already shared with them before these steps were taken by Facebook.

The reason behind the backlash Facebook received from the general public after this story came to light is because people trust Facebook with their personal data for many years. They share all their personal information without giving it a thought at how their data can be exploited by third parties.

In addition to that, there has been a history of controversies regarding data security involving Facebook. For instance, the company has actively attempted to prevent their users from knowing how much data they have gathered. Finally, the users were allowed to download an archive of their profile information after a long legal case verdict came against Facebook.

Moreover, how friend suggestion works is still a mystery, despite the fact that it results in the invasion of privacy, as felt by many Facebook users.

BACKGROUND

It all started when the Channel 4 News conducted an independent investigation which revealed that Global Science Research accessed the data of millions of Facebook users via a psychological test app called “thisisyourdigitallife” in 2014. They later sold it to Cambridge Analytica, which used it to tamper with presidential elections of USA.

The former chief strategist and VP of Cambridge Analytica, Steve Bannon, has also accused the social network giant of selling people’s data without their consent. However, he has not provided any proofs regarding his claims.

The CEO of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg also admitted that Facebook has "made mistakes". Facebook was unable to predict how these loopholes can be capitalized by third-parties to invade the privacy of millions. It will be interesting to see what further steps Facebook will take to ensure their user’s digital privacy is safe in the future.

FINAL WORDS

In light of the aforementioned situation, it is very hard to argue the case, in favor of the argument, that your online privacy is safe, and it is not just about Facebook, but all the other businesses who use advertisement to generate revenue. They have access to your data, not only what you provide them but they also track your other web activities, geo-location, and IP address.

This can be used without your consent for any purpose, so you must remain extra careful when visiting these type of websites. Minimizing the amount of information you provide is one suitable option, but it does not ensure complete privacy.