Facebook has suspended Canadian political consultancy AggregateIQ following reports it is linked to Cambridge Analytica (via the National Observer).
“In light of recent reports that AggregateIQ may be affiliated with [Cambridge Analytica parent company] SCL and may, as a result, have improperly received FB user data, we have added them to the listof entities we have suspended from our platform while we investigate. Our internal review continues, and we will cooperate fully with any investigations by regulatory authorities.”
A Michican company is suing Apple claiming the technology used to measure heart rate in the latest Apple Watches infringes on its patented technology.
Why it matters: In the suit, Omni MedSci says it met with Apple from 2014 until 2016 but ultimately the company broke off discussions about a partnership, then introduced technology using its approach.
Facebook said Friday it was supporting a bill that increases disclosure requirements for online political ads.
Why it matters: It’s the first time the company has endorsed a specific form of regulation of its platform, and it comes as founder Mark Zuckerberg prepares to face irate lawmakers on Capitol Hill next week. As recently as last week, company officials were dodging whether they supported the bill.
Facebook plans to let all Messenger users "unsend" messages, after TechCrunch reported the company had reached into users' inboxes to delete old messages from Mark Zuckerberg.
Why it matters: You don't imagine the operator of your messaging service is messing with your private messages, even when they come from its CEO.
It's not just Cambridge Analytica.Facebook can’t escape a tide of criticism over the way it harvests user data, even as it looks to mitigate the scandal that started it all.
Why it matters: The company is preparing for two high-stakes hearings next week where CEO Mark Zuckerberg will be grilled by lawmakers who think he didn’t properly handle abuse of the platform.
Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg told NBC's Savannah Guthrie that she expects Facebook will discover additional breaches in personal information when conducting audits of other third-party data providers, prompted by Cambrdige Analytica's misuse.
I’m not going to sit here and say that we’re not going to find more because we are.
Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg admitted Friday that the Cambridge Analytica data breach came to Facebook's attention two and a half years ago, in December of 2015, but the company failed to take the same security steps they are now.
"We could've done this two and a half years ago," Sandberg admitted. "We thought the data had been deleted and we should have checked. They gave us assurances and it wasn't until other people told us it wasn't true ... We had legal assurances from them that they deleted it. What we didn't do is the next step of an audit and we're trying to do that now"
— Sheryl Sandberg during an interview on NBC's TODAY show with Savannah Guthrie
A sneak peek for Axios readers at a comment Apple CEO Tim Cook makes on “Revolution: Apple Changing the World,” premiering at 8 tonight on MSNBC:
"To me, it’s creepy when I look at something and all of a sudden it’s chasing me all the way across the web. I don’t like that... [MSNBC's Chris Hayes interjects: "Particularly when I bought it!"]... "So, I think what has to be done is the type of information has to be looked at that companies can hold. I think the connection and sources of data have to be looked at — when you own many different properties, ... and I can take the information I’ve learned about you from this property, add it to what I learned about you here and here and here. And there’s no reasonable alternative for people. ... This is not good."
