India seeks explanation from Facebook over reports of data sharing without explicit consent

New Delhi, June 8: The Indian Government has sought an explanation from social media company Facebook over reports of data sharing without explicit consent. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has asked for a detailed factual report from the Facebook by 20th of this month.

 

Recently, there were media reports claiming that Facebook has agreements which are allowing phone and other device manufacturers’ access to its users’ personal information including that of their friends without taking their explicit consent. The IT Ministry said it is deeply concerned about reports of such lapses and violations.

In a statement, the Ministry said, in response to earlier notices about breaches of personal data relating to the Cambridge Analytica episode, Facebook had apologized and given strong assurances to the Government of India that they will take sincere efforts to protect the privacy of users’ data on the platform.

However, such reports raise uncomfortable questions about the assurances made by Facebook.

Last Month, Facebook Chief Mark Zuckerberg had apologized to the European Parliament for the recent data breach scandal. During the live-streamed hearing in Brussels, Zuckerberg admitted that up to 87 million users, including 2.7 million Europeans, may have had their data hijacked by Cambridge Analytica, which worked for US President Donald Trump during his 2016 campaign.