The New York Times on Sunday reported on deals between Facebook and device makers that allowed the manufacturers broad access to Facebook user data over the last decade.

As the debate about Facebook’s privacy practices unfolds, here is what we know about the company’s partnerships with makers of phones, game consoles and other hardware:

Why would Facebook allow device makers private access to user data?

Facebook officials said the company began forming device partnerships in 2007. The social network wanted to ensure that its services were available to Facebook users not only on desktop computers, but also anywhere else people used the internet: mobile phones, smart TVs, game consoles and other devices.

At the time, many phones could not run full-fledged Facebook apps. So Facebook allowed manufacturers to integrate elements of the social network — “like” buttons, photo sharing, friends lists — into their devices.

Are we just talking about the Facebook app on my phone?

No. Facebook has said that device partners use the private data access for both the Facebook app and other apps and integrations that it considers part of the “Facebook experience.” That varies depending on the device company. Some devices have apps that show Facebook messages in a social “hub” along with other messages. Others integrate Facebook status updates and friend information into the device’s own news feed. In some cases, the device pulls Facebook data into its own address books.