Facebook Suspends CubeYou for Cambridge Analytica-Type Tactics

Facebook has suspended a developer chosen CubeYou, associated with the University of Cambridge Psychometrics Centre, for allegedly engaging in Cambridge Analytica-style data collection tactics.

The data in question was collected past researchers at the school so sold to marketers, according to CNBC.

"CubeYou misleadingly labeled its quizzes 'for not-turn a profit academic enquiry'" CNBC reported on Sunday, adding that the revelation "suggests that collecting information from quizzes and using information technology for marketing purposes was far from an isolated incident."

In a statement to PCMag, Facebook confirmed it is investigating CubeYou'south activities afterward being alerted by CNBC that it was gathering information about users to share with marketers, similar to how Cambridge Analytica received the data of some 87 one thousand thousand people and used information technology to build profiles on potential voters for use in political campaigns.

"These are serious claims and we have suspended CubeYou from Facebook while we investigate them," Facebook Vice President of Product Partnerships Ime Archibong said in a argument. "If they decline or fail our audit, their apps will exist banned from Facebook."

Archibong went on to say that Facebook plans to "work with the UK ICO [Information Commissioner'south Office] to ask the University of Cambridge about the development of apps in general by its Psychometrics Middle given this case and the misuse past Kogan." Aleksandr Kogan is the Cambridge Academy researcher and developer of the personality test app at the middle of the Cambridge Analytica information leak.

"Nosotros want to thank CNBC for bringing this example to our attention," Archibong said.

Meanwhile, Kogan has suggested that this type of activity is commonplace.

"What was communicated to me strongly is that thousands and maybe tens of thousands of apps were doing the exact same affair. And this was a pretty normal apply instance of Facebook information," Kogan told BBC Radio 4'due south Today final month, according to The Guardian.

The CubeYou discovery comes as Facebook CEO Marking Zuckerberg prepares to testify before Congress this week about the Cambridge Analytica data leak. The social network promised to beginning adding a link to the summit of News Feeds, starting today, that will permit you know if your information was improperly shared with Cambridge Analytica.

About Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo is PCMag'southward expert on fettle and smart home products. Teaching yoga for near ten years has helped her in evaluating a range of connected health products including fitness trackers, heart rate monitors, rowers, smart scales, stationary bikes, strength training machines, treadmills, and more. Angela likewise tests smart dwelling devices from her ranch in Florida, including air purifiers, kitchen appliances, and robot vacuums, just to name a few.