Facebook uploaded email contacts of 1.5m users without consent

Company says it has stopped using password verification feature that collected data

Facebook has admitted to "unintentionally" uploading the address books of 1.5 million users without consent, and says it will delete the collected data and notify those affected.

The discovery follows criticism of Facebook by security experts for a feature that asked new users for their email password as part of the sign-up process. As well as exposing users to potential security breaches, those who provided passwords found that, immediately after their email was verified, the site began "importing" contacts without asking for permission.