CNET – July 1 – Facebook has admitted providing dozens of tech companies with special access to user data after publicly saying it restricted such access in 2015. It continued sharing information with 61 hardware and software makers after it said it discontinued the practice in May 2015. Facebook granted a special "one-time" six-month extension to companies that ranged from AOL to UPS to dating app Hinge so they could come into compliance with the social network's new privacy policy and create their own versions of Facebook for their devices. Data shared without users' knowledge included friends' names, genders and birth dates. Facebook said it has ended 38 of the partnership and plans to discontinue seven more by the end of July. The disclosure was part of Facebook's second attempt to address questions posed to Zuckerberg in April by members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
by Steven Musil
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