US senators demand answers from Facebook about user privacy data

The Republican chairman of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee and the top Democrat on the panel on Tuesday demanded that Facebook Inc Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg answer questions about whether user privacy was compromised by information disclosed to at least 60 device manufacturers.

Senators John Thune, a Republican, and Bill Nelson, a Democrat, wrote to Zuckerberg after the New York Times reported that manufacturers were able to access user friends’ data even if the friends denied permission to share their data with third parties. The letter asks if Facebook audited partnerships with the device manufacturers under a 2011 consent order with the Federal Trade Commission. It also asked if Zuckerberg wanted to revise his testimony before the Senate in April. Facebook said it looks forward to addressing any questions the Commerce Committee has.

Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe