Facebook blocks data-analytics apps due to violate sharing of public User-Data policy

According to Bloomberg, Facebook has temporarily frozen several apps developed by Harvard researchers. Earlier, the US Wall Street Journal reported that relevant researchers had contact with government departments to share public user data.

Facebook freezes the app developer Crimson Hexagon, a company founded by Harvard professor Gary King. But recently, The Wall Street Journal reported that Crimson Hexagon is in contact with customers such as government agencies to share public user data. The specific client list includes several US government agencies, a non-profit organisation related to the Russian government, Anheuser-Busch InBev SA, Adidas AG and General Mills Inc.

Facebook explained that they didn’t know about the developer’s private contact, but developers used monitoring tools to extract information from Facebook, which violated Facebook policy.

Ime Archibong, vice president of product cooperation at Facebook, said in a statement: “Facebook has a responsibility to help protect people’s information, which is one of the reasons why we have tightened.”

Crimson Hexagon has a close relationship with Facebook. Gary King is the founder and chairman of the board of Crimson Hexagon. In a project promoted by Facebook, Gary King is also the project leader. The primary goal of the project is to help researchers access anonymous data and study the influence of Facebook in the global election. Facebook has not yet terminated with Gary King cooperation.