Popular apps stop sharing users' personal data with Facebook

Facebook has told developers that it prohibits partners from sharing any sensitive user information

At least four popular apps have stopped sharing users' personal data with Facebook, according to the Wall Street Journal. On Friday the publication reported that at least 11 apps were sharing sensitive user information - including blood pressure and menstrual cycles - with the social media giant.

Since then some apps, including Azumio Inc.'s Instant Heart Rate: HR Monitor, FitNow Inc.'s Lose It!, and Flo Health Inc.'s Flo Period and Ovulation Tracker, have issued updates to stop sharing of users' confidential data with Facebook, new tests by the WSJ showed Sunday.

In response to the WSJ report, Facebook contacted several large developers and advertisers, informing them that the company prohibits partners from sharing any sensitive user information with Facebook - implying that it was the fault of the developers, not Facebook.

"We work with the app developers using our SDK to ensure they adhere to our terms. In cases where we see violations, we work with the app developers to get into compliance and take action as needed," a spokeswoman told the WSJ.

A person whose firm was contacted by Facebook told the WSJ said that the company is also working on a new system to automatically identify and block the uploading of such confidential data by apps.

Some apps were found to share the information within seconds of a user inputting it. The information was even being sent for users who didn't have an account on the social media network.

The report says users' information is shared through in-built Facebook software, including the analytics tool. Developers can use this to see data about users' activities and to target them with Facebook ads.

The revelation marks the latest in a series of privacy concerns related to the world's largest social media networks, highlighting the scope of data that Facebook collects from a large number of apps.

A spokeswoman told the WSJ that sharing of data across apps "is how mobile advertising works and is industry standard practice.

"The issue is how apps use information for online advertising. At Facebook, we require app developers to be clear with their users about the information they are sharing with us, and we prohibit app developers from sending us sensitive data.

"We also take steps to detect and remove data that should not be shared with us," she added.