Facebook reinstates Crimson Hexagon after suspension, full review of data policy breach
Facebook has reinstated Crimson Hexagon after what was nearly a month-long suspension and investigation into a reported breach of its data policies.
Crimson Hexagon says that it's very pleased after Facebook's reinstatement of their access to FB and Instagram / Charles Deluvio via Unsplash
Last month, it was alleged that Crimson Hexagon had secured contracts with Russian non-profits tied to the Kremlin. The social network, still reeling from Cambridge Analytica fallout, responded with a suspension of the Boston-based analytics company’s access to Instagram and Facebook.
In a blog post from Cambridge once the suspension lifted, Crimson Hexagon chief financial officer Dan Shore said that the company was “very pleased” to be reinstated.
Shore said: “Several of Facebook’s questions focused on a small number of our government customers, which represent less than five percent of our business. Historically, we have vetted potential government customers similar to our other customers — with a goal of understanding their proposed use of our platform in order to make them successful.
“To our knowledge, no government customer has used the Crimson Hexagon platform for surveillance of any individual or group."
Although Shore claimed that Hexagon has enhanced its vetting process, he said: “We recognize it is important to go beyond vetting by monitoring these government customers on an ongoing basis to ensure the public’s expectations of privacy are met. As governments and government-sponsored organizations change how they use data, we too must change.”
Crimson Hexagon has claimed to have one of the largest databases of social content, with over a trillion posts collected as of 2016.