Japan tells Facebook to improve data protection

Japan’s government told US technology firm Facebook to better protect its users’ personal data following lapses this year affecting tens of millions of people globally.

The government asked the world’s largest social media network to fully communicate security issues to users, increase surveillance of providers of applications on its platform, and inform regulators of any change in security measures.

The request comes after Facebook this month said attackers stole data from 29 million user accounts. That followed the April revelation that personal data of nearly 87 million users was improperly accessed by British firm Cambridge Analytica.

Japan’s Personal Information Protection Commission, which investigated the Cambridge Analytica incident with authorities in Britain and elsewhere, issued a statement on Monday detailing its request to Facebook. The request carries no administrative orders or penalties and is not legally binding. Facebook has promised to detail on its Japanese-language website how it will address the request, the Commission said.

It also said the Cambridge Analytica incident potentially affected up to 100,000 users in Japan, and that the cyber attack may also have had an impact on users in Japan. Representatives of Facebook did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.