Facebook is suing developers in the United States and the United Kingdom who have violated its policies on user data collection and offer fake engagement services.
In a statement posted on its website, the social media giant announced on Thursday, August 27, that it is filing legal actions against some developers in the U.S. and the U.K. for violations of its policies.
Facebook said these actions are the latest in the company's campaign to protect its users while upholding the laws around data misuse and privacy and "holding those who abuse our platform accountable."
In the U.S., Facebook and Instagram have filed a case on Nikolay Holper, a developer who offers fake engagement services using automation software and bot network to spread fake Instagram likes, followers, views, and comments.
The legal suit noted that different websites sell fake engagement services to Instagram users, and this is not the first time Facebook has cracked down on these services. In 2019, Facebook had previously filed a case an engagement service in New Zealand while Instagram shut down 17 fake engagement services that sells more social media followers.
However, users became more creative in growing their following base following the numerous crackdown on the engagement services. Instead of paying for the followers, Instagram users participate in "pods" where they give and take likes and comments on each other's posts. This may be coordinated, but it somehow goes around the Instagram algorithms.
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Facebook sues developer for data collection
In the U.K., Facebook and its branch in Ireland are suing OakSmart Technologies' parent company, MobiBurn, and its founder Fatih Haltas for failing to comply with Facebook's audit request, following a security researched flagging OakSmart's technology and its use of malicious software to collect data from Facebook users. .
Facebook stated that MobiBurn failed to "fully comply" with Facebook's audit request as it investigates the company's use of a malicious Software Development Kit (SDK) to harvest user data.
The social media giant alleges that MobiBurn paid third-party developers to utilize its SDK into their apps. After which, MobiBurn collected information from the devices, including the person's name, email address, gender, and time zone. Facebook seeks for an injunction against MobiBurn, a report of the data it accessed, payments made to developers as well as payments it received. The suit also files for damages and other relief.
Rumors about the company's activities spread in 2019 while Facebook and Twitter announced in November that hundreds of users data may have been accessed illegally through certain third-party apps that had malicious SDKs. MobiBurn and another company One Audience installed these apps.
MobiBurn said it did not collect and share data from Facebook, or monetize from it. It has since disabled its apps, but Facebook claims the company "failed to fully cooperate" in its audit requests. Meanwhile, the company hasn't yet responded to a request for comment today.
Facebook has been tracking malicious developers since the Cambridge Analytica scandal, which compromised the data of 87 million Facebook users. Facebook has introduced more protections over app developers' access these data while penalizing those who breached the company's policies.
Earlier this year, Facebook rolled out new Developer Policies and Platform Terms that allow audit third-party apps to ensure compliance.
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Written by CJ Robles
