Delhi HC concerned over Facebook 'sharing user data' with other companies

The Delhi High Court raised concerns over Facebook sharing data with ither companies and the social media platform's ability to predict user behaviour.

While hearing a plea in the case pertaining to WhatsApp's privacy policy, the Delhi High Court expressed concerns over the alleged sharing of user data by Facebook with other companies.

The Delhi High Court was hearing Facebook's and WhatsApp's appeals against the Competition Commission of India's probe into the WhatsApp privacy policy. Facebook is the parent company of WhatsApp.

The bench of justices Rajiv Shakdher and Poonam Bhamba noted that "every citizen has a concern" about data sharing.

"Cambridge Analytica weighs very heavily on us," said Justice Shakdher.

The Delhi High Court judge said this while referring to the Cambridge Analytica scandal that allegedly involved a massive data breach. According to Facebook, the private data of over five lakh Indians was accessed by Cambridge Analytica before 2018.

The court also said that it was "concerned" about the ability of Facebook to predict user behaviour.

"Cambridge Analytica said they have 5000 data points on every citizen in America. That means they can predict what you are going to do in a particular action?," said justice Shakdher.