Health information such as heart rates and pregnancy status was sent from apps without consumer consent

February 23, 2019 2:30 AM
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - A news report on Friday (Feb 22) said many smartphone apps were sending highly personal information such as menstrual cycles and body weight to Facebook, without notifying users.

The decision reportedly stems from backlash over Facebook amassing information on people's phone usage.

Two Democratic U.S. senators called for the Federal Trade Commission to act on a complaint filed by consumer groups against Facebook Inc on Thursday that alleged the company scammed children into spending money on its platform.

Paying a subscription fee to get rid of ads wouldn't stop Facebook's data collection engine.

Advertisers could reach people interested in perpetrators of the Holocaust and neo-Nazi music, the Los Angeles Times reports.

FTC urged to probe if the social-media company illegally enticed minors to spend money without parental consent

Child advocates are asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether the social network violated US law.

The meeting at Facebook headquarters on Thursday follows the damning report from the British government.

Following the unsealing of court documents, children's rights groups are asking the agency to open an investigation into practices that allow such purchases without parental permission.