FB `pays teens for access to phones'

TOM KNOWLES, TT, London: Facebook is paying teenagers as young as 13 for access to their phone and web activity, including private messages, Internet searches, emails and shopping.

The tech giant has been paying users $20 a month to install an app called Facebook Research. The tool, active since 2016, allows the company to gather huge amounts of information on how people use their devices and what apps they favour.

After the findings were published by TechCrunch, the technology news website, Apple banned the programme from iPhones, saying Facebook was in "clear breach" of its policies. The app is still available to download on Android devices.

Facebook was unable to confirm to The Times whether the programme, aimed at users between 13 and 35, has been running outside the US.

Will Strafach, chief executive of the consultancy Sudo Security Group, who was commissioned by TechCrunch to look into the app, said: "Most users are going to be unable to reasonably consent to this because there is no good way to articulate just how much power is handed to Facebook." Strafach told TechCrunch that once downloaded the tool allowed Facebook to "continuously collect private messages in social media apps, chats from instant messaging apps including photos/videos sent to others, emails, web searches, web browsing activity, and ongoing location information". Facebook even asked users to screenshot their Amazon order history page.

"Most users are going to be unable to reasonably consent to this because there is no good way to articulate just how much power is handed to Facebook" Those under 18 were asked to provide parental consent. However, in some cases, this simply required ticking a box, suggesting teenagers could easily do this themselves. The programme is similar to a Facebook app called Onavo Protect that Apple banned last year. This app, designed to help people reduce their data use, gave Facebook information about what apps were used the most and enabled it to keep an eye on any up-and coming competitors such as WhatsApp, which it bought for $19 billion in 2014.

Facebook appeared to try to sidestep the Onavo ban with its Facebook Research app by offering it to users on beta test- ing services, which allow people to test new features that companies are thinking of launching.

The three services that Facebook used ran advertisements on Instagram and Snapchat specifically targeting teenagers to take part in a "paid social media research study", according to TechCrunch. In some cases, no mention of Facebook was made until users had signed up or looked at the parental consent agreement.

A spokeswoman for Facebook insisted there was "nothing secret" about the app, adding: "It was literally called the Facebook Research app." She added: "All of the people who signed up went through a clear on-boarding process asking for their permission and were paid to participate." The Times, London.