EU trying to assess media reports on Facebook giving users data to firms

Facebook's lead regulator in the European Union on Wednesday said it was assessing a report in the New York Times that the social network allowed some tech companies far greater access to data than it had disclosed.

"We are aware of the media reports and we are currently assessing what next steps, if any, are required," said a spokesman for Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner, which is Facebook's lead European regulator because the firm's European headquarters are in Dublin.

Facebook said it did not give companies access to personal data of users without their permission.