Facebook gave access to personal data about its users to Huawei, a Chinese electronics firm flagged by US intelligence as a ‘national security threat’
Huawei was allowed access to users’ relationship status, friends, likes, and more
The Pentagon has banned the sale of Huawei smartphones on US military bases
FBI Director said Huawei phones could be used for ‘undetected espionage’
Huawei was among the 60 companies that Facebook allowed to have ‘deep access to personal data about users and their friends’
By AARON BROWN
DAILYMAIL.COM
6 June 2018
Facebook shared user data with four Chinese phone manufacturers, including Huawei, which US intelligence experts have branded a ‘national security threat’.
The social network acknowledged the handset makers — Huawei, Lenovo, Oppo and TCL — were among the 60 companies it had shared data with as early as 2007.
Huawei was singled-out by the FBI director earlier this year, who said he was ‘deeply concerned’ its handsets have the ‘capacity to conduct undetected espionage’ on behalf of the Chinese government.
Facebook allowed Huawei and other manufacturers access to user data to enable social media features, like Facebook Messenger, on their devices.
These Facebook ‘experiences’ were used as a stop-gap until the social network could build a designated mobile app for the manufacturers’ operating system.
Facebook will now wind down its dealings with Huawei, the Californian company confirmed in a statement to The New York Times.
Huawei is the third largest smartphone manufacturer in the world.
The Shenzhen-based company has enjoyed huge success with its Android-powered smartphones, including the triple-camera touting P20 Pro, which launched back in March, and its exclusive £1,499 ($1,225) Porsche-design Mate handset.
However, US security officials have branded the company a ‘national security threat’.
The Rest…HERE
