Mark Zuckerberg announces next steps to protect users' data

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has said that his company will take further steps to ensure app developers do not get as much access to user information in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. He has reportedly said he is sorry for a “breach of trust.”

Zuckerberg took to Facebook on Thursday to share an update on the Cambridge Analytica situation. He talked about the steps they have already taken as well as the next steps to address the issue.

According to Zuckerberg, Facebook wants to ensure that all users understand which apps they have allowed access to their data.

In his post, Zuckerberg added that they will show users a tool at the top of the News Feed with the apps they have used as well as an easy way to rescind permissions to their data. There is already a tool for this that can be found in the privacy settings, but Facebook will now put it at the top of the News Feed to ensure all users see it.

Zuckerberg said they will restrict developers' data access even further. Developers’ access to data of those who do not use their app in three months will be removed.

The announcement of these changes come after recent allegations that an app developer was able to obtain and keep user data after telling Facebook it had been deleted.

Primarily, Facebook will conduct an investigation of all apps with access to huge amounts of information. A full audit of any app with suspicious activity will also be performed.

Zuckerberg warned that the social media giant will ban any developer that does not agree to a thorough audit. It will also ban developers that misused personally identifiable information. Those impacted by the apps will be notified of the situation.

The social network's founder believes these next steps must be taken to secure Facebook beyond the steps already taken in 2014 when the website declared it was changing the platform to limit the data accessible to apps to prevent abuse.

“While this specific issue involving Cambridge Analytica should no longer happen with new apps today, that doesn't change what happened in the past,” Zuckerberg said. He added that they will learn from such experience to secure Facebook further and make the community safer for everyone moving forward.