New Facebook Tool Reports User Data Shared With Cambridge Analytica

Facebook just launched a new Help Center tool that tells users whether their data was shared with Cambridge Analytica. The tool specifically mentions which user information was accessed by the controversial British political consulting firm.

Social media director for The Next Web, Matt Navarra, was the first one to spot the launch of the new Facebook tool on Tuesday. Navarra took to Twitter to share his discovery and encouraged everyone to check out the tool to see if they are affected by the Cambridge Analytica data breach.

Navarra appears to have used the tool because the screenshot he uploaded as part of his tweet shows the result of his inquiry to the new Help Center tool. “Based on our available records, neither you nor your friends logged into ‘This Is Your Digital Life.’ As a result, it doesn’t appear your Facebook information was shared with Cambridge Analytica,” his result read.

“This Is Your Digital Life” is the quiz app that Cambridge Analytica used to steal Facebook user data and tailor political messages toward Facebook users. The new tool checks if the user has ever tried the quiz app. Then it identifies the specific data that was accessed by the app.

The new Help Center tool will specifically indicate if the user’s public profile, page likes, birthday, current city and other personal information were shared with Cambridge Analytica’s quiz app, according to MacRumors.

Facebook launches the new Help Center tool on the same day that CEO Mark Zuckerberg is testifying before Congress about the possible lapses of his company when it comes to handling user data, securing data privacy and addressing other issues spreading on the social network.

Facebook has been trying its best to appease its user base in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. It has been sharing numerous blog posts detailing its plans on how to resolve the problem and gain back the trust of its users. Last weekend, the social network giant announced that it is releasing an unsend message feature so users will have the option to permanently delete messages.