5th October 2020, Kathmandu
Data Breach and Security has been the hottest news in the tech and digital world recently! Every company today wants to ensure the users of the maximum data security. Following the same, Facebook has recently sued two firms for carrying out illegal data scraping in its various platforms. The companies carried out data scraping on Facebook and Instagram which belongs to Facebook. Along with Facebook, the firms carried out data acquisition from several popular sites such as Twitter, Youtube, Linkedin, and Amazon.
What is Data Scraping?
It is a method used to collect/extract data from various sites and apps by using several automation tools like bots. It has become a craze in the data-driven world of today. While several scraping is carried out in an innocuous way, these tasks can take an illegal turn if not taken seriously.
Reportedly, the companies used the data collected from the unauthorized scraping for Digital Marketing purposes. Facebook claimed that it was against the privacy policies of the company.
The two firms that violated the largest Social Media’s privacy policy are Israel based company BrandTotal Limited and Delaware based company Unimania Inc. According to Facebook, the companies used Browser Extensions to scrape the data. The name of the Browser Extensions is ‘UPVoice’ and ‘Ads Feed’.
Meanwhile, Facebook has been extra careful when it comes to data security after the scandalous Cambridge Analytica incident. The legal actions taken by Facebook have dramatically increased since then.
A Snippet from Facebook Statement:
“Today, we filed a lawsuit in the US against two companies that used scraping to engage in an international data harvesting operation. These companies scraped data from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Amazon, in order to sell “marketing intelligence” and other services. The actions of BrandTotal Ltd., an Israeli-based company, and Unimania Inc., incorporated in Delaware, violate our Terms of Service and we are pursuing legal action to protect our users.”
Moreover, for a detailed official statement of Facebook in this matter, visit here.
This action taken by Facebook is a welcome move in the digital world! Following the bandwagon, various companies and tech giants need to buckle up regarding their course of actions in grave issues like these. Data security and cybercrimes are at their maximum and it’s the need of the hour to consider these issues with utmost care and vigilance.
Finally, Kudos to Facebook from our team!
Meanwhile, how do you take these steps taken by Tech Companies recently? Do write down your concerns in the comment section below.
Recommended Reads:
How to Use VPN on Windows: A Complete Step-by-step Guide
What To Do If Your Data Was Breached? Have You Become a Victim?
Information Security Tips For Staff Working Remotely
Top 4 Ways To Handle a Data Breach
Digital Risk Management During The Pandemic
