Facebook has recently announced that it is coming up with a new Data Checkup system via its Application program interface (API). This system is going to be used for application review and putting suitable limits on data access.
All the applications that use the APIs of Facebook will have to get this Data Checkup every year for developers to ensure that API access and data usage comply with the policies established by Facebook. This process is in testing phases for now, and the application developers that have enrolled in testing are asked to complete this request for each of their apps within the next two months, or they can lose their API access.
Due to the unprecedented circumstances following the COVID-19 crisis, these tech organizations are already under tremendous stress. So, to avoid putting undue pressure on these companies at the moment, Facebook is limiting its testing process. But later, all apps will have to get this annual data Checkup done to ensure that they are not misusing Facebook’s data for some other purposes.
Facebook had some unfortunate past few years, in which one of the biggest challenges it faced was the Cambridge Analytica scandal. There was a huge and very justified uproar after billions of users’ data were extorted and misused by a company, to manipulate election campaigns.
Facebook policies were rather lenient at that time, and this incident put a huge question mark on its general policies as well. Many users developed major concerns about their privacy, and rightly so.
Facebook learned its lesson the hard way and did launch an Application Review System for developers to justify their usage of APIs of Facebook and its data. However, this latest Data Use Checkup is a self-service tool that all developers will need to submit to if they want to continue using Facebook’s data. It definitely sounds stricter and more efficient than the previous system though.
Although Facebook is trying hard to restore its image in the public eye by continuously making efforts to strengthen its reviewing system and improving the overall user data security, the concerns about the already leaked data during the Cambridge Analytica fiasco still prevail.
People are genuinely concerned about that still valid data, which can be misused again for anything else! It is not possible to retrieve all that data back, nor is this possible for Facebook or anyone to vouch that it cannot be used in diverse ways again.
With these latest updates regarding its security system, while Facebook is trying to avoid such incidents, the main concern that arises is that the effectiveness of the system cannot be judged until some more substantial proofs are obtained in the future. Usually, the news about stolen data reaches the headquarters when it is already very late, and nothing can be done. So, the risk of such incidents still hangs on the heads of users as well as Facebook until proven otherwise.
However, let us just wait and hope that this new Data Checkup system turns out to be foolproof for the millions of users’ peace of mind.
Read next: Facebook App Will Soon Have a Quiet Mode on Mobile
All the applications that use the APIs of Facebook will have to get this Data Checkup every year for developers to ensure that API access and data usage comply with the policies established by Facebook. This process is in testing phases for now, and the application developers that have enrolled in testing are asked to complete this request for each of their apps within the next two months, or they can lose their API access.
Due to the unprecedented circumstances following the COVID-19 crisis, these tech organizations are already under tremendous stress. So, to avoid putting undue pressure on these companies at the moment, Facebook is limiting its testing process. But later, all apps will have to get this annual data Checkup done to ensure that they are not misusing Facebook’s data for some other purposes.
Facebook had some unfortunate past few years, in which one of the biggest challenges it faced was the Cambridge Analytica scandal. There was a huge and very justified uproar after billions of users’ data were extorted and misused by a company, to manipulate election campaigns.
Facebook policies were rather lenient at that time, and this incident put a huge question mark on its general policies as well. Many users developed major concerns about their privacy, and rightly so.
Facebook learned its lesson the hard way and did launch an Application Review System for developers to justify their usage of APIs of Facebook and its data. However, this latest Data Use Checkup is a self-service tool that all developers will need to submit to if they want to continue using Facebook’s data. It definitely sounds stricter and more efficient than the previous system though.
Although Facebook is trying hard to restore its image in the public eye by continuously making efforts to strengthen its reviewing system and improving the overall user data security, the concerns about the already leaked data during the Cambridge Analytica fiasco still prevail.
People are genuinely concerned about that still valid data, which can be misused again for anything else! It is not possible to retrieve all that data back, nor is this possible for Facebook or anyone to vouch that it cannot be used in diverse ways again.
With these latest updates regarding its security system, while Facebook is trying to avoid such incidents, the main concern that arises is that the effectiveness of the system cannot be judged until some more substantial proofs are obtained in the future. Usually, the news about stolen data reaches the headquarters when it is already very late, and nothing can be done. So, the risk of such incidents still hangs on the heads of users as well as Facebook until proven otherwise.
However, let us just wait and hope that this new Data Checkup system turns out to be foolproof for the millions of users’ peace of mind.
Read next: Facebook App Will Soon Have a Quiet Mode on Mobile
