After a disastrous year of privacy issues, social media giant Facebook is finally increasing scrutiny on the personality quizzes that are an integral part of its platform.
On Thursday, the company updated its policies and stated that third-party apps, such as personality quizzes with minimal utility will not be made part of its platform.
However, the company did not shed much light on the new policy or the criteria it will be used to determine the utilities imposed on the different quizzes. Nevertheless, the new policy will not allow apps to ask users for their personal data.
Apparently, the quizzes were the focal part of the Cambridge Analytica scandal who accused these apps to gather personal data from unsuspecting users.
Last year, Cambridge Analytica – a political research firm used a Facebook personality quiz app called “thisisyourdigitallife” and managed to access personal data of over 50 million users by taking their permission before download.
After the scandal came in light, Facebook was forced to limit developer’s access to user data and even removed several hundred apps from their database.
Facebook also admitted that the ongoing investigation from the Federal Trade Commission might result in fine of up to $5 billion after the consecutive occurrence of data privacy scandals.
Read next: Facebook Boasts 2.7 Billion Monthly Active Users On Its All Services
On Thursday, the company updated its policies and stated that third-party apps, such as personality quizzes with minimal utility will not be made part of its platform.
However, the company did not shed much light on the new policy or the criteria it will be used to determine the utilities imposed on the different quizzes. Nevertheless, the new policy will not allow apps to ask users for their personal data.
"Going forward, we will periodically review, audit, and remove permissions that your app has not used. Developers can submit for App Review to re-gain access to expired permissions.", announced Eddie O'Neil, Director, Product Management at Facebook, in a blog post.Facebook’s platform is currently filled with various types of personality quizzes such as “Which Game of Thrones character are you?” and “What Type Of Millennial Are You?”
Apparently, the quizzes were the focal part of the Cambridge Analytica scandal who accused these apps to gather personal data from unsuspecting users.
- Read next: Facebook is Working on a "News" Tab!
Last year, Cambridge Analytica – a political research firm used a Facebook personality quiz app called “thisisyourdigitallife” and managed to access personal data of over 50 million users by taking their permission before download.
After the scandal came in light, Facebook was forced to limit developer’s access to user data and even removed several hundred apps from their database.
Facebook also admitted that the ongoing investigation from the Federal Trade Commission might result in fine of up to $5 billion after the consecutive occurrence of data privacy scandals.
Read next: Facebook Boasts 2.7 Billion Monthly Active Users On Its All Services
