This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/facebook-cambridge-analytica-data-scandal-a8289091.html

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Facebook increases number of users affected by Cambridge Analytica data scandal to 'up to 87 million' Facebook increases number of users affected by Cambridge Analytica data scandal to 'up to 87 million'
(35 minutes later)
*/ Up to 87 million people may have had their Facebook data passed to a third-party political firm, the social media company said. >*/ /*-->*/ Up to 87 million people may have had their Facebook data improperly passed to a third-party political firm, the social media company said.
Initial estimates put the number of people affected at around 50 million. But Facebook updated that number to say information from as many as 27 million additional could been improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica. Initial estimates put the number of people affected at around 50 million. But Facebook updated that number to say information from as many as 27 million additional users could been shared with Cambridge Analytica, expanding the scope of a privacy scandal that has sent the company's stock plunging and put its leadership on the defensive.
It had already been revealed that researcher Aleksandr Kogan harvested information encompassing a vast number of Facebook users and then passed it on to Cambridge Analytica, a company that went on to work for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. It had already been revealed that researcher Aleksandr Kogan harvested information encompassing a vast number of Facebook users and then passed it on to Cambridge Analytica, a company that went on to work for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. 
Facebook said it would inform users if their information had been funneled to Cambridge Analytica, one of several steps it announced to reassure users that it is working to safeguard their privacy. Facebook said it would inform users if their information had been funnelled to Cambridge Analytica. It said most of those users were in the United States.
Seeking to reassure users that it was moving to safeguard their personal information, Facebook announced a series of measures to restrict the information third-party apps can draw from events, groups and pages. Those steps built on previously announced changes limiting the data third-party apps can access.Seeking to reassure users that it was moving to safeguard their personal information, Facebook announced a series of measures to restrict the information third-party apps can draw from events, groups and pages. Those steps built on previously announced changes limiting the data third-party apps can access.
It also announced was tightening login rules and disabling a feature allowing people to search for other users with phone numbers and email addresses, saying “malicious actors” had abused the feature to scrape public information. It also announced more stringent rules on granting apps' access to information including check-ins and likes and said it would bar access to personal information like workplace history and religious affiliation. chief technology officer Mike Schroepfer said the company would disable a feature allowing people to search for other users with phone numbers and email addresses, saying “malicious actors” had abused the feature to scrape public information.
“Given the scale and sophistication of the activity we’ve seen, we believe most people on Facebook could have had their public profile scraped in this way”, the company said in a blog post. “Given the scale and sophistication of the activity we’ve seen, we believe most people on Facebook could have had their public profile scraped in this way”, Mr Schroepfer said in a blog post.
More follows... The changes come as Facebook confronts tremendous pressure to account for the Cambridge Analytica scandal and demonstrate it is fortifying its user safeguards. Multiple executives have said they would be open to further regulation, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to appear before Congress.
While Facebook has said no data was breached, faulting Mr Kogan for passing data to Cambridge Analytica and both parties for failing to destroy the information, the controversy has extended a tumultuous year of political scrutiny and mounting anger for the social media giant.
The company spent much of 2017 explaining how Russian-linked operatives exploited the platform to disseminate misinformation and foment division, boosting inflammatory content with advertising.
Facebook’s pledge to inform users whose information was passed to Cambridge Analytica echoed its response last year to revelations of Russian interference, in which Facebook rolled out a tool to inform users who had interacted with Russian-generated content.
As many as 126 million users may have come across Russian-linked content, Facebook ultimately said, a far greater figure than what was initially disclosed.