Facebook Is Being Sued For Allegedly Spying On Instagram Users Through Phone Cameras

Facebook’s entire business model is built around collecting our information and using it to target advertising, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that some users believe Facebook is spying on us to gather even more data. This week, a lawsuit was filed in a San Francisco federal court accusing Facebook and Instagram of observing users through their mobile phone cameras. The suit alleges that Facebook is doing this “to collect lucrative and valuable data on its users that it would not otherwise have access to.”

“By obtaining extremely private and intimate personal data on their users, including in the privacy of their own homes, [Facebook is] able to increase their advertising revenue by targeting users more than ever before,” the lawsuit says. “For example, [Facebook is] able to see in real time how users respond to advertisements on Instagram, providing extremely valuable information to its advertisers.”

Facebook hasn’t yet commented on the case, but the company has vigorously denied similar accusations in the past. But regardless of whether or not this is true, the real problem is how unclear Facebook is with its own policies. If users honestly believe the company is spying on them through their phones, then Facebook has some serious work to do to be more transparent and win back trust.




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