Facebook has once again been placed under the spotlight. This time, however, the social network is being scrutinised for targeting its users with specific and tailored ad content via their provided phone numbers.
According to TechCrunch, Facebook reportedly uses a contact number that is provided to the social network giant. In order for it to create a two factor authentication layer, otherwise known as and abbreviated to 2FA.
The confession comes a day after another story that was published by Gizmodo. Who made the discovery that Facebook’s algorithms were using people’s contact numbers in order to target ads at them. The ad targeting was so specific and obvious, it became clear that the platform was not just giving out its users’ personal details to advertisers, but also the details that were being used for security purposes as well.
To be fair, Facebook using our contact details to target us with specific ads isn’t anything new. But as the source states, Facebook has never confessed to such a act before this; that the phone numbers provided to the social media giant by its users for 2FA and security reasons, could and would be used so blatantly and treated as “fair game” for ad targeting.
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Surprisingly, Facebook has also managed avoid having to divulge any of its shadow contact information to users. One UK Facebook user in particular regales how he had requested his shadow contact information for month from the platform – which is well within his rights.
However, a loophole in the country’s laws allowed Facebook to hide his contact details within its “confidential” algorithms. Thus allowing the platform to deny his request, citing that it wasn’t in a position to provide him with the “precise details” of its algorithm.
(Source: TechCrunch, Gizmodo)
