Facebook says up to 87 million people affected by Cambridge Analytica scandal

Facebook said on Wednesday that as many as 87 million people have been affected in the Cambridge Analytica data scandal.

It was previously estimated that the British research firm hired by the Trump campaign had improperly harvested data from about 50 million Facebook users.

Facebook’s new estimate came as a part of a post in which it outlined new steps it is taking to restrict third-parties’ access to user data on its platform.

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As a part of the data policy changes, Facebook said it will now delete Android users’ call and text logs that are older than a year following outcry over the practice.

The social media platform has been scrambling to temper criticism it has received following its disclosure that Cambridge Analytica improperly took user data and then did not delete the information after telling Facebook that it would.

The new estimate also comes one week before Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to testify before a congressional panel on his company’s handling of data and the fallout.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have hammered Facebook over its dealings with Cambridge Analytica and have called on Zuckerberg to answer questions on Capitol Hill. He has committed to testifying before the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

The Senate Judiciary Committee and Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee have also said they would like Zuckerberg to appear before their panels as well.

Lawmakers have questioned why Facebook let third parties collect data on its users without their express consent and why Facebook didn’t take stronger action to ensure that Cambridge Analytica deleted the improperly collected user data.

Facebook had sent officials to brief aides on six congressional committees about the Cambridge Analytica scandal, but lawmakers say they still have further questions.

Updated at 3:10 p.m.