Are Facebook’s recent privacy changes making a difference?

In the wake of the recent Cambridge Analytica Scandal, in which it was discovered that the UK-based data company was using personal data to affect the outcome of the US elections, it seems Facebook has been going to extreme lengths to clean its hands and prove to users that their privacy is safe. The global social media company has made several announcements regarding changes to both mobile and desktop platforms to improve data protection.

During the recent revelation, it became clearer to Facebook users that their data and personal information wasn’t as secure as they thought. In fact, it was revealed that third-party developers could access, use and distribute user information with very few restrictions. This free reign has resulted in a no-holds-barred situation where user data isn’t protected. However, Facebook seems to be trying to tackle this issue with its latest privacy policy.

The new feature allows users to remove third-party apps from their account in bulk, thereby making the process much easier and quicker. This gives much more incentive to remove unused or outdated third-party apps and puts more control in the hands of account-holders. However, this is seen by many as a hollow attempt at distracting users from the Analytica Scandal with a simple interface edit that doesn’t necessarily improve privacy standards.

In the same vein as the app removal feature, Facebook has also made alterations to the layout of its terms of service document and its data policy. This was unveiled as an attempt to make it clearer to users exactly how the privacy policies of Facebook work. Much like the addition of the bulk removal feature, this won’t actually change the terms of service or tighten up security but instead aims to provide a more simplistic way of users monitoring how their data is used.

While these changes are a step in the right direction and seem to be deflecting some of the backlash from Cambridge Analytica, privacy and data protection is still a real concern for Facebook users. Particularly for those outside of the EU who’s privacy will not be protected under the GDPR according to recent statements from Mark Zuckerberg.

In today’s global digital market, data protection is becoming more important. Consumers are becoming much more aware of the current privacy risks so it’s more important than ever for online companies and app businesses across all industries and platforms to focus on creating peace of mind with quality data protection measures.