Facebook Restricts Graph Search Access

Facebook suppressed a controversial feature which allows a search of huge content within the Social Media. In fact, the company restricted the Public Access of the Graph Search tool which can expose human rights abuses, trace out corrupt officials. Some of the Graph Search Features got blocked in response to data scandals.

The Leading Social Media Facebook acknowledged that it paused some features of Graph Search. This feature introduced back in 2013, faced huge criticism for allowing posts and content to reveal with a simple query. Privacy Activists blamed graph search for being a creepy tool which enables unnecessary disclosures, stalking. This tool allows people to reveal other users personal information like Public Like, Share etc.

Facebook turned off several features which are accessible earlier via Graph Search. It includes data like videos they are tagged in or places they checked in. This can be in response to data scandals, thus making it hard to identify what is happening on its platform.

The graph tool is open to any of the site’s users and people can search any public data using high granular filters.

Over time, Graph Search became a key tool to journalists, researchers, right activists. Usually, this tool is used to monitor extremists, identify the activity of human traffickers and War Criminals. Facebook is trying its best to offer privacy settings on what data to reveal. The Company nor reacted for AFP Query neither disclosed the reason for the new policy.

Facebook Representative Claimed “We paused some aspects of graph search late last week.” He also adds it as such “We’re in conversations with a few researchers to learn more about how they used this tool.”

Jennifer Grygiel, a university professor states this move by Facebook to restrict the data access can be due to Cambridge Analytica Scandal. Millions of Facebook Users personal information hijacked in this incident. Due to Privacy Concerns,  Facebook came up with this move to block Graph Search Access.

Zuckerberg gave Graph Search equal preference to Timeline and News Feed on its launch day. The Company also mentioned a post about tips for journalists on how to use Graph Search. As time elapsed, Graph Search became a valuable tool for police officers, investigators, and journalists to identify criminals.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg responds to a series of security lapses, privacy concerns and says the Future is Private. The Company also said that they are working closely with researchers so that they can use their platform. All these changes came into the picture after social media giant’s handling and misusing the personal information without the user’s consent.

New Restrains make it tough for researchers to find posts ranging from War Criminals to Anorexia. This can be a promoting policy by Facebook. However, this move even limits the efforts of journalists and researchers to eliminate extremist content and hate speech.

As the majority of the people are searching using Keywords, Facebook paused some features of Graph Search. Thus Facebook is more likely to focus on Keyword Search. Facebook didn’t explain the reason behind the Pause of Graph Search Features.