Facebook is still reworking its permissions-based app system regarding user phone numbers and addresses, but it is considering a system that would make it more obvious to the user about how apps are accessing personal information.
"We are assessing potential additions to the permissions screen that would appear when an application requests a user's contact information, to determine whether those additions would provide even clearer notice to users regarding the information the application is requesting," Marne Levine, vice president of global public policy at Facebook, wrote in a letter to Reps. Edward Markey and Joe Barton.
Levine's letter comes after the congressmen asked for more information about Facebook's plan to allow developer access to phone numbers and addresses. The issue dates back to January, when Facebook said it would make user phone numbers and addresses available to developers via the permissions menu to which users must agree before installing an app. After some user backlash, however, Facebook said it would temporarily disable the feature.
In the letter, dated February 23 and released today, Levine said Facebook does "not have details to share at this time" about how it might alter the address and phone number portion of app permissions. But "we expect that, once the feature is re-enabled, Facebook will again permit users to authorize applications to obtain their contact information," she wrote.
Facebook decided to suspend the program due to "some initial user feedback," Levine said. After reviewing that feedback, Facebook determined that "we might be able to increase the visibility of these categories of data in the permissions screen, and we decided to suspend the feature pending that review."
Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, said he is "pleased that Facebook's response indicated that it's looking to enhance its process for highlighting for users when they are being asked for permission to share their contact information."
He encouraged Facebook to "wall off access to teen's contact information if they enable this new feature." Facebook is open to anyone 13 and over.
Barton, a Texas Republican, said that "people enjoy the games and applications that Facebook offers, but taking advantage of them shouldn't jeopardize a user's privacy. Facebook has a responsibility to their customers not just the third party vendors it associates with. I hope they continue to improve protection of users' private information."