Science and TechData Privacy and Cybersecurity

Actions

Facebook Bug Gave App Developers Access to Some Users' Photos

The apps had access to some users' photos for a 12 day span in September.
Posted

Facebook is apologizing after a bug allowed third-party apps to access potentially millions of users' photos without their permission.

The social media giant announced in a post Friday, that as many as 6.8 million users may have been affected. From Sep. 13 to the 25, the bug may have given as many as 1,500 apps access to users photos that weren't usually accessible.

Facebook says it potentially included images users posted to their stories, as well as photos users uploaded, but decided not to post. Facebook says it keeps a copy of those uploaded images in case users want to post it later.

This is just the latest privacy scandal Facebook has been involved with this year.

In September, Ireland's data protection regulator launched an investigation into the social network after a security breach affected nearly 30 million accounts.

And earlier this year, the company revealed millions of users' information was shared without consent with research firm Cambridge Analytica

Facebook said on Friday it will notify all users impacted by the latest bug.

Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN