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Here's How To Keep Your Facebook Profile Information Private

PHILADELPHIA (CBS/CNN) - What happens to the data you post on Facebook? Who's responsible for how those personal details are used? And how can you make sure your profile information stays private?

Facebook's Value Plunges $34 Billion After Data Controversy

Facebook is under intense pressure to answer these questions -- and more -- after it admitted that a company linked to President Donald Trump's campaign had accessed and improperly stored a huge trove of its user data.

The controversy erupted after reports that data analysis firm Cambridge Analytica tried to influence how Americans voted using information collected from over 50 million Facebook profiles.

Facebook said it gave permission to University of Cambridge psychology professor Aleksandr Kogan to harvest information from users who downloaded his app -- "thisisyourdigitallife." The app offered a personality test. But Facebook users who downloaded the app also gave the professor permission to collect data on their location, their friends and content they had "liked."

Here's How To Check If Facebook Has Labeled You As A Liberal Or Conservative

To check the type of access apps have on your Facebook profile while using a desktop computer, follow these steps:

  • Find the arrow in the top right corner and scroll down to settings.
  • On the left side of the screen, click "Apps."
  • You'll see every app you've logged into through Facebook.
  • Next to each one is a little pencil where you can edit settings.
  • Edit the access each app has, such as pictures, by checking or unchecking the boxes.
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