Facebook starts telling users if Cambridge Analytica had their data
Every user will get one of two notices at the top of their feeds.
Though initial reports estimated that around 50 million Facebook users' information was improperly obtained by Cambridge Analytica, Facebook upped that number to 87 million last week. The company also said that it would soon be informing those users that their information was accessed by the political firm. Today, those notices are going out, Facebook confirmed to us, and every user will see one of two notifications. If your data was obtained by Cambridge Analytica, you'll get a note telling you so. If not, you'll see a message at the top of your news feed with a link to the apps and website management section of your Facebook settings.
In the message letting users know that their information was shared with Cambridge Analytica, Facebook notes that it has banned the "This is Your Digital Life" website. It also informs users that one of their Facebook friends used the site through Facebook, though it doesn't say which friend. The message includes a link for users to see how they were affected.
Along with Cambridge Analytica, Facebook has also suspended AggregateIQ and CubeYou for using similar tactics. The social media giant has also changed some of its data management practices and rewritten its policies so that they're easier to understand. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify before Congress on April 10th and 11th in order to address concerns over the company's data security practices.
