Facebook shared user data with device makers including Apple and Microsoft: Report

Facebook partnered with around 60 device makers including major tech firms such as Microsoft, Apple, Samsung and Amazon to share user data with them. Through the partnership, the social media giant gave the companies access to information of users as well as their friends, according to a New York Times report.

Facebook recently faced heavy backlash across the world for sharing personal data of up to 87 million users.

The report exposed the Mark Zuckerberg-led company's attitude towards customer data and claimed that the deal could have been over 10 years old.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report, which came as a shocker following the scandal involving the erstwhile British political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica.

Under the data-sharing partnership, Facebook expanded its reach to customers by offering features such as messaging, its 'like' feature and address books, the report said.

However, the agreement between Facebook and the tech firms raise concerns over privacy the protection and compliance consent decree with the US Federal Trade Commission. Facebook allegedly allowed device companies access to data of friends of users, even after announcing that it would not do so.

Ime Achibong, Vice-President at Facebook was quoted as saying: "These partnerships work very differently from the way in which app developers use our platform."

However, Serge Egelman, a researcher at the University of California said, "You might think that Facebook or the device manufacturer is trustworthy. But the problem is that as more and more data is collected on the device, and if it can be accessed by apps on the device -- it creates serious privacy and security risks."

In April, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg had apologised and said that he made a "huge mistake" as personal data of up to 87 million users may have been shared improperly with Cambridge Analytica.