Facebook bans developers from using data for surveillance purposes

Facebook has made policy changes to prevent developers from using Facebook data for user monitoring tools. The social medium has adapted the user conditions for developers to this end.

The modified policies that developers will face apply to both Facebook and Instagram. This has been announced by the company. Facebook’s Developer Terms of Use now states that developers must protect the information they receive from Facebook from unauthorized use and access. The example is now explicitly mentioned that this data may not be used for surveillance resources.

According to Facebook, the purpose of this is to make the policy explicit. Facebook says the platform has taken action in recent months against several developers who have developed and promoted resources designed to monitor users. This was previously also contrary to the existing policy conditions; these have now been clarified at this point. This concerns the conditions for American developers.

Facebook thanks a number of organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union of California for disclosing practices whereby developers can improperly monitor users via Facebook’s data. In 2016, this organization already established that Twitter, Facebook and Instagram provided user data to Geofeedia, an analytics company that provides insight into data from Facebook, Twitter and Instagram on a map and can also filter it.

This company sold its data to various American police forces. This would make it too easy for official authorities to monitor the plans and steps of activists and protesters. For example, the data was used in the controversial 2014 Ferguson protests. When this became known in 2016, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram blocked Geofeedia’s access to the data.

Another organization, Color of Change, which champions the interests of the black community in America, also welcomes Facebook’s move to clearly prohibit developers from developing such tools in its terms and conditions. A campaign manager for the organization says social media platforms such as Facebook are important tools for black people to generate public attention for cases of social inequality and injustice. She calls on other companies that claim to pursue diversity and fairness to follow suit.