Didn’t think Facebook could get any worse? Think again.

According to an investigation by The New York Times that cites interviews with more than 60 people, including former Facebook employees, the company gave Amazon, Microsoft, Netflix, Spotify and other tech firms far greater access to user data than previously disclosed.

Apple, meanwhile, was white-listed to view users' phone numbers and calendar entries, but it said it was not aware of this special access.

The biggest issue with Facebook, which hasn't responded to our request for comment, is that it always waits until after a bombshell to clarify its policies -- that's how it got into this mess to begin with. That's saying a lot, too, considering that it seems like every week there's new information about how Facebook mishandles user data.

This is also going to draw additional questions from lawmakers in the US, who are already deeply concerned with how Facebook operates and are pushing for stronger federal oversight.

But while users may have willingly connected their Facebook account with Spotify or Netflix, that doesn't mean they knew those apps were going to be able to read their private messages. Even if Facebook's partners claim they didn't take advantage of such special access, the company needs to do a better job of making sure its policies and terms of service are easier for everyone to understand.

When he wasn't on the pitch scoring hat tricks, he could be found near his SNES or around the house, taking things apart.

Edgar's also deeply in love with tacos, sneakers and FIFA, in no particular order. He lives in New York City with his better half.

Original article
Author: Engadget

Engadget is the original home for technology news and reviews. Since its founding in 2004, we've grown from an exhaustive source for consumer tech news to a global multimedia organization covering the intersection of technology, gaming and entertainment.

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