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Facebook has been collecting your call history and SMS data

Facebook has been facing massive outrage from its users over the Cambridge Analytica controversy. The #DeleteFacebook campaign gained huge popularity and this led Facebook to come out in defense and even print full-page ads in newspapers. But problems for Facebook are far from getting over.

In a new finding it has come to light that Facebook has been collecting call logs and message data from your Android devices and that too for years. Several Twitter users posted about it that they fund call logs in the downloadable Facebook data file.

Facebook user Dylan McKay reported one such issue on Twitter:


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According to Ars Technica to improve friend recommendation algorithm searches Facebook has been requesting access to contacts, SMS data and call history on Android users.

This all was done through the Facebook Messenger app which often prompts Android users to act as default Messaging service. Recently Facebook users are provided an opt-in feature which lets them choose if they want to opt-in for this service.

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This has alarmed many Facebook users as they saw their call logs in the Facebook data. Facebook responded to this issue:

 

The most important part of apps and services that help you make connections is to make it easy to find the people you want to connect with. So, the first time you sign in on your phone to a messaging or social app, it’s a widely used practice to begin by uploading your phone contacts.

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For now, Facebook has not been able to gather any data from Apple devices thanks to Apple’s stronger privacy policy for apps.

This all came into revelation when Facebook has been dealing with fall out from Cambridge Analytica data leks of 50 million Facebook users. Facebook altered its privacy controls to avoid any such instance in the near future. But still, it is facing a backlash from users over inadequate privacy controls that led this to happen.

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