MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA — Facebook is under scrutiny yet again for claims of user data misuse.<br /><br />This time it's been found using access to user information as a way to reward companies that bring in the dollah bills and restricting access to competitors.<br /><br />The information comes from documents released by a U.K. parliamentary committee that's currently researching the role of social media in the spread of fake news. <br /><br />The 250-page report details which companies got VIP access to user data goodies. <br />According to the documents, Netflix, AirBnB and Lyft were all among Facebook's white-listed companies. <br /><br />Of course, you've got to be on Facebook's good side—AKA reign in the big ad bucks—for them to share their user data with you.<br /><br />Back in 2013, when video sharing app Vine was booming, Facebook Vice-president Justin Osofsky, e-mailed human android, Mark Zuckerberg, saying that 'if there were no objections' he would shut down Vine's friend access. Mark's reply? 'Yup, go for it.' <br /><br />Meanwhile, Facebook has issued a response on its platform claiming these 'whitelists' were developed for beta-testing features and preventing random apps from requesting permission to access user information. <br /><br />The Zuck posted on his own wall as well, saying these were all efforts done to prevent abusive apps from mis-using user information.<br /><br />He closed his statement saying 'this was an important change to protect our community, and it achieved its goal', should we believe him?
