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Facebook Says Cambridge Analytica Harvested Data of Up to 87 Million Users Facebook Says Cambridge Analytica Harvested Data of Up to 87 Million Users
(about 3 hours later)
WASHINGTON — Facebook said on Wednesday that the personal information of up to 87 million people, most of them Americans, may have been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm connected to President Trump during the 2016 election. WASHINGTON — Facebook on Wednesday said that the data of up to 87 million users may have been improperly shared with a political consulting firm connected to President Trump during the 2016 election — a figure far higher than the estimate of 50 million that had been widely cited since the leak was reported last month.
The new figure, roughly equivalent to a quarter of the population of the United States, is substantially greater than the previous estimate of how many users’ information Cambridge Analytica harvested. The number had been put at more than 50 million users. Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s chief executive, also announced that Facebook would offer all of its users the same tools and controls required under European privacy rules. The European rules, which go into effect next month, give people more control over how companies use their digital data.
Facebook released the revised figure as part of an extended statement about changes it is making to how it handles personal data. The company said it would start telling users on April 9 about whether their information might have been shared with Cambridge Analytica. Facebook had not previously disclosed how many accounts had been harvested by Cambridge Analytica, the firm connected to the Trump campaign. It has also been reluctant to disclose how it was used by Russian-backed actors to influence the 2016 presidential elections.
“We wanted to put out the maximum number of people who could have been affected,” Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, said on a call with reporters. The new effort to appear more transparent about the data leaks — including a rare question-and-answer session with Mr. Zuckerberg and reporters — came just before Mr. Zuckerberg’s expected testimony next week on Capitol Hill, where he will most likely face criticism over how the company collects and shares the personal data of its users. Sheryl Sandberg, Mr. Zuckerberg’s top deputy, has several national television interviews scheduled for later this week.
Cambridge Analytica responded to Facebook’s revised estimate with a statement in which the firm said it had licensed data for no more than 30 million users of the social network, that none of the data had been used in the firm’s work on the 2016 election and that it believed at the time that the data had been legally obtained. The company said that on Monday it would start telling users whether their information may have been shared with Cambridge Analytica.
The sharing of user data has unleashed a torrent of criticism against Facebook, the world’s largest social network. Andy Stone, a spokesman for Facebook in Washington, said the 87 million figure was an estimate of the total number of users whose data could have been acquired by Cambridge Analytica. He said that the estimate was calculated by adding up all the friends of the people who had logged into the Facebook app from which Cambridge Analytica collected profile data.
The company is under investigation by the Federal Trade Commission over whether it violated a 2011 agreement meant to protect users’ privacy. Investors have been fleeing the company as well, with its stock falling sharply in recent weeks. “We wanted to put out the maximum number of people who could have been affected,” Mr. Zuckerberg told reporters.
Earlier on Wednesday, lawmakers in Washington said that Mr. Zuckerberg would testify before the House Energy and Committee on April 11 about the company’s handling of sensitive user data. It remains unclear exactly how many users had their personal information accessed by Cambridge Analytica. The firm said Wednesday that it had licensed data for no more than 30 million users of the social network.
Mr. Zuckerberg is also expected to appear before at least one Senate committee next week. Facebook also released a lengthy document describing how it would gather personal data in the future. The company said it would limit the types of data that can be harvested by software used by outside businesses. The changes mean that users will have to give permission before an app can collect information beyond their names and addresses.
“This hearing will be an important opportunity to shed light on critical consumer data privacy issues,” said Representatives Greg Walden, Republican of Oregon, and Frank Pallone, Democrat of New Jersey, of the House committee. “We appreciate Mr. Zuckerberg’s willingness to testify before the committee.” The company also said it would no longer allow outsiders to use apps to gather information about the religious or political views of its users. And it will stop using third-party data from companies such as Experian and Acxiom to help supplement its own data for ad targeting.
After the revelations about Cambridge Analytica emerged, Facebook unveiled a new privacy center that streamlines the settings people use choose what type of data Facebook collects on them and shares with advertisers. In announcing the center, Facebook said its goal was to to introduce more transparency about the platform to users. The document revealed that the information on public profiles of the social network’s 2 billion users could have been collected by third-party companies without their explicit consent.
Among the changes announced on Wednesday, Facebook said it would restrict the data to which third-party app developers would have access. “It’s clear now that we didn’t focus enough on preventing abuse,” Mr. Zuckerberg said. “We didn’t take a broad enough view of what our responsibility is. That was a huge mistake, and it was my mistake.”
The company is also racing to change the service to comply with new data privacy rules that will take effect in the European Union next month and limit what type of user data companies can collect and how they can store it. The Federal Trade Commission is investigating whether Facebook violated a 2011 agreement meant to protect users’ privacy. User data is crucial to the company’s business, because it is used to deliver advertising to users.
Mr. Zuckerberg, responding to a question about the new European rules, said during the call on Wednesday that the changes the company was making would apply worldwide, not just in Europe. Mr. Zuckerberg is scheduled to testify about the company’s handling of sensitive user data before the Senate’s Commerce and Judiciary committees on Tuesday and the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday.
Facebook’s problems stretch back before the reports about Cambridge Analytica, to earlier investigations into how Russian actors infiltrated the platform by placing ads and posts to disrupt the 2016 election. At the time, Mr. Zuckerberg dismissed the idea of foreign interference on Facebook as a “crazy idea.” “This hearing will be an important opportunity to shed light on critical consumer data privacy issues,” said Representatives Greg Walden, Republican of Oregon, and Frank Pallone, Democrat of New Jersey, of the House committee.
Since then, the company has been the focus of investigations by law enforcement and congressional committees that are delving into Russian interference in the election. Facebook now acknowledges that its platform was used by agents to influence voters. Senator Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said, “With all of the data exchanged over Facebook and other platforms, users deserve to know how their information is shared and secured.”
In the past couple of weeks, the company has been on something of a public relations offensive ahead of Mr. Zuckerberg’s expected appearance before Congress. Few executives draw the same interest as Mr. Zuckerberg, a 33-year-old billionaire who has connected two billion people to a social media platform he helped create as a college student. Facebook’s problems stretch back before the reports about Cambridge Analytica, to earlier investigations into how Russian actors infiltrated the platform by placing ads and posts to influence the 2016 election. Mr. Zuckerberg initially dismissed the idea of foreign interference on Facebook as a “crazy idea.”
His session with reporters on Wednesday was a rarity for him: He typically appears in such settings only on quarterly financial calls. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer, is set to be interviewed on Friday by Fox News, “PBS NewsHour,” NBC’s “Today” show and Bloomberg. Ms. Sandberg will be interviewed remotely from California. Since then, the company has been the focus of investigations by law enforcement and congressional committees that are delving into the Russian influence campaign. Facebook now acknowledges that its platform was used to sway voters.
Facebook said the efforts were meant to show how seriously it takes the intense criticism it has faced over its handling of user data. The company said it wants to explain specific steps it is taking to correct its site’s weaknesses. All those troubles have prompted investors to flee the company, and its stock has fallen sharply in recent weeks.
In Washington, Facebook employees and public relations firms retained by the company have talked to regulators and congressional staff members about new privacy measures, including updates to privacy policies that are intended to make them easier to understand. In response, the company has put its executives front and center.
Mr. Zuckerberg typically talks to groups of reporters only after the company releases its quarterly financial reports. But after not responding in public for several days following the Cambridge Analytica disclosure, he has given a series of interviews.
And Ms. Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer and the second most recognizable face at the company, is set to be interviewed this week by Fox News, “PBS NewsHour,” NBC’s “Today” show and Bloomberg. Ms. Sandberg will be interviewed remotely from California.
Facebook said its new openness was meant to show that it takes the intense criticism over its handling of user data seriously.
In Washington, Facebook employees and public relations firms retained by the company have talked to regulators and congressional staff members about new privacy measures, including updates to policies that are intended to make them easier to understand.
On Wednesday, Mr. Zuckerberg provided a preview of what he will tell Congress next week. He said Facebook was “an idealistic and optimistic company.”On Wednesday, Mr. Zuckerberg provided a preview of what he will tell Congress next week. He said Facebook was “an idealistic and optimistic company.”
But he admitted that the company had committed serious errors by not ensuring that robust safeguards were in place for users. But he acknowledged that the company had committed serious errors by not ensuring that robust safeguards were in place for users.
“We didn’t take a broad enough view of what our responsibility is,” he told reporters. “That was a huge mistake.” Asked if he should still be leading the company, he said, “Yes. Life is about learning from the mistakes and learning what you need to go forward.”
Asked if he should still be leading the company, he said, “Yes. Life is about learning from the mistakes and learning what you need to do forward.” Terrell McSweeny, a Democratic member of the Federal Trade Commission, said that Mr. Zuckerberg has a big task ahead of him in Washington.
Terrell McSweeny, a Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission, declined to comment on the planned updates and how they might affect the commission’s investigation into Facebook’s privacy practices.
But she said that Mr. Zuckerberg has a big task ahead of him in Washington.
“I think it is important for Zuckerberg to clearly explain how Facebook plans to earn back consumer trust,” Ms. McSweeny said. “Consumers need reassurance that their data are not being misused.”“I think it is important for Zuckerberg to clearly explain how Facebook plans to earn back consumer trust,” Ms. McSweeny said. “Consumers need reassurance that their data are not being misused.”