Facebook cuts loose apps following Cambridge Analytica scandal

Ime Archibong, Facebook’s vice president of product partnerships.Getty

• Facebook is shutting down hundreds of the thousands of dormant apps following the Cambridge Analytica data scandal.
• Inactive apps will be cut off from Facebook’s application programming interface, which lets app makers access user data and Facebook functionality.
• Facebook will continue ushering active apps through the review process, which includes them signing up to more robust terms on security and data protection.

Facebook is cutting loose hundreds of the thousands of apps after developers failed to go through the company’s new review process following the Cambridge Analytica data scandal.

In a blog on Tuesday, Ime Archibong — the man responsible for cleaning up Facebook’s act after the Cambridge Analytica breach impacted 87 million users — said the firm is being ruthless to “better protect people’s Facebook information.”

The vice president of product partnerships said hundreds of thousands of inactive apps that did not submit themselves for review before 1 August will be shut off from Facebook’s application programming interface, the developer platform that lets app makers access user data.

Active apps were encouraged to submit themselves for inspection as soon as possible, while Facebook will also start proactively queueing up apps for review. As part of the process, app makers are asked to sign a “supplemental terms contract,” which includes more robust security and data protection requirements.

Facebook ushering active apps through the review process is a sign that, while it is being strict about its new terms, it also does not want to lose products that drive engagement and ad revenue.

“Our goal with all these changes is to ensure that we better protect people’s Facebook information while also enabling developers to build great social experiences,” Archibong said.