Facebook Has Been Collecting All Your Call History And SMS Data For Years From
It is reported that Facebook has been collecting all your call records and SMS data from Android devices for years. How and why did this happen?
With the current Facebook Android app, It takes advantage by asking the permissions to enter on your Android device. This is because of an earlier version of Android to collect an unexpected amount of important information.
Recently, A software developer in New Zealand, Dylan McKay tweeted about the story of misuse android data on his Phone. He downloaded his Facebook data as a ZIP file and “somehow it has my entire call history with my partner’s mum.”
Downloaded my facebook data as a ZIP file
Somehow it has my entire call history with my partner's mum pic.twitter.com/CIRUguf4vD
— Dylan McKay (@dylanmckaynz) March 21, 2018
Some tweeted that close ones are tracked mainly by facebook.
I had a similar issue with mine on Android. Don't have FB installed but I do use Messenger and Instagram. Interestingly they only tracked when I rang my parents and girlfriend. Have never used Messenger in regards to my parents. Weird.
— Ben Wigham (@bmdwigham) March 24, 2018
Some Twitter users said Facebook tracked my every single phone call and text.
Oh wow my deleted Facebook Zip file contains info on every single phone cellphone call and text I made for about a year- cool totally not creepy.
— Mat Johnson (@mat_johnson) March 23, 2018
It starts when you installed facebook android app and request to access all your contacts, SMS data, and call history.
This app asks to improve friend recommendation algorithm and distinguish between business contacts and your true personal friendships.
Furthermore, All your contact list is sent to its database and can easily distinguish between people to send you for friend recommendation. This is done through its Messenger application.
Considering the android app Access, Google changed Android permissions to make them clear but developers could bypass this and continue accessing call and SMS data, which Google deprecated the old Android API in October.
From the recent reports, it is seen that Facebook has been collecting data for years, during a time when Android permissions were a lot less strict.
When you upload contacts to social apps, Android apps start their work from here. Facebook sync all your contacts and display those people you want to connect with in news feed of your timeline.
Currently, iOS devices are safe from this issue. So, iOS apps give a limited Permission to access data like blocking spam calls or texts. A majority is Apple apps cannot access call history or SMS messages ultimately, Facebook’s iOS app is not allowed to fetch data.
So, guys if you really care about your privacy and informative data As always, you should not share address book and call-log data with any mobile application. Thanks, to Cambridge Analytica, a lot of shocking confessions about facebook who played with 50 Million Users Privacy.
