Facebook's first-quarter profit plunged 51% to $2.4bn from a year earlier. AP
Facebook's first-quarter profit plunged 51% to $2.4bn from a year earlier. AP
Facebook's first-quarter profit plunged 51% to $2.4bn from a year earlier. AP
Facebook's first-quarter profit plunged 51% to $2.4bn from a year earlier. AP

Facebook acquired private data of 187,000 through spying app


Alkesh Sharma
  • English
  • Arabic

Facebook collected confidential details of 187,000 users, some as young as 13, through its now non-operational app Research that paid users secretly for access, TechCrunch reported, citing a letter the social media company sent to a US lawmaker.

In the letter addressed to Senator Richard Blumenthal's office in Connecticut, Facebook admitted to acquiring data of 31,000 users in the United States and 156,000 users in India, the US technology news portal reported.

The Research app, which was launched in 2016, collected data such as web browsing history, encrypted messages and mobile app activity, "potentially also including data from their friends, for competitive analysis", TechCrunch said.

Last year, Facebook faced widespread backlash for paying its users, between the ages of 13 and 35, to install Research which traced private texts, locations and app usage. Users were compensated monthly in the form of gift cards.

Facebook, however, never clearly defined to what degree it would share user information through the app.

Apple was the first to ban Research from its app store. The company said Facebook "violated" its "privacy policies" and cancelled some developer privileges. In reaction, Facebook removed the app from Apple's store in January and later disabled it for Android users as well.

In its defence, Facebook said Research focused only on analytics. "The app did not target any health or financial apps, collect any images or video, or decrypt the vast majority of data being sent by a phone," the company told the senator.

Facebook is also facing criticism for a slew of privacy-related issues, including exposing the passwords of millions of users to its employees.

Last year, the social media giant was embroiled in a scandal related to the 2016 US presidential elections. The British political consulting company, Cambridge Analytica, is said to have mined personal data from millions of Facebook profiles without their consent.This led to US congressional hearings where Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg testified.

Facebook's 2019 first-quarter revenue rose an annual 26 per cent to $15.1 billion (Dh55.46bn) from last year, beating average analyst estimates. However, its net profit plunged about 51 per cent to $2.4bn from the previous year.

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

One in nine do not have enough to eat

Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.

One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.

The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.

Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.

It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.

On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.

Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.

 

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SCHEDULE

Thursday, December 6
08.00-15.00 Technical scrutineering
15.00-17.00 Extra free practice

Friday, December 7
09.10-09.30 F4 free practice
09.40-10.00 F4 time trials
10.15-11.15 F1 free practice
14.00 F4 race 1
15.30 BRM F1 qualifying

Saturday, December 8
09.10-09.30 F4 free practice
09.40-10.00 F4 time trials
10.15-11.15 F1 free practice
14.00 F4 race 2
15.30 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi

The specs

Engine: 5.2-litre V10

Power: 640hp at 8,000rpm

Torque: 565Nm at 6,500rpm

Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto

Price: From Dh1 million

On sale: Q3 or Q4 2022 

APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)

Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits

Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine

Storage: 128/256/512GB

Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4

Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps

Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID

Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight

In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter

Price: From Dh2,099

Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Cherry

Directed by: Joe and Anthony Russo

Starring: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo

1/5

MATCH INFO

Euro 2020 qualifier

Russia v Scotland, Thursday, 10.45pm (UAE)

TV: Match on BeIN Sports 

War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, second leg result:

Ajax 2-3 Tottenham

Tottenham advance on away goals rule after tie ends 3-3 on aggregate

Final: June 1, Madrid

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