INTERNET: SOCIAL NETWORKS AND SOCIAL NETWORKING : LEGAL ISSUES : PRIVACY: Privacy Groups Take Facebook Quarrel to the Feds
David P. Dillard
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INTERNET: SOCIAL NETWORKS AND SOCIAL NETWORKING :
LEGAL ISSUES :
PRIVACY:
Privacy Groups Take Facebook Quarrel to the Feds
Privacy Groups Take Facebook Quarrel to the Feds
By Katherine Noyes
E-Commerce Times
Part of the ECT News Network
12/18/09 9:17 AM PT
Tech News World
<http://www.technewsworld.com/story/68939.html>
If you have a Facebook account but haven't used it in a while, a lot more
of your personal data may recently have become public. The social network
overhauled its privacy policies, requiring users to set their preferences.
If you haven't taken that step, certain data that used to be hidden may
now be exposed by default.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center, key privacy group, has filed a
complaint with the Federal Trade Commission arguing that the privacy
changes Facebook made a little more than a week ago were unfair and
deceptive.
"We think this is the most important matter now before the FTC, and the
reason is that Facebook has more than 100 million subscribers in the
United States," Marc Rotenberg, EPIC's executive director, told the
E-Commerce Times.
This is the latest development in a backlash against the social network
that appears to be gaining momentum.
When Facebook implemented its privacy overhaul, it probably expected to
encounter some resistance. After all, it was taking the unprecedented step
of requiring 350 million or so users worldwide to review and update their
privacy settings.
It seems safe to assume, however, that the reaction, in at least some
quarters, has been more than it bargained for.
First, just a day after implementing its "transition tool," as it's
called, user feedback prompted the social network to change the way it had
originally handled the visibility of Friends lists on the site.
Then, criticisms appeared regarding the amount of personal information
that had become available to third-party application developers.
Now, it's the FTC complaint.
Topics Covered in This Article:
Call for an Investigation
'Unfair and Misleading'
7 Data Elements Exposed
'We're Disappointed'
'I Don't Endorse the Complaint'
No Place for Government?
'There Are Benefits to Sharing'
'Like Deer in the Headlights'
Friday December 18, 2009
How the New Facebook Privacy Settings Work
PC Magazine Blogs
<http://blogs.pcmag.com/securitywatch/
2009/12/how_the_new_facebook_privacy_s.php>
A shorter URL for the above link:
If you don't know, as of today, Facebook will automatically start plunging
the Earth into the Sun. To change this option, go to Settings -->
Planetary Settings --> Trajectory then UN-CLICK the box that says
'Apocalypse.' Facebook kept this one quiet. Copy and paste onto your
status for all to see. We must all work together to save the world.
Yes, big changes have come to Facebook, but not quite this profound. You
should have noticed by now prominent notifications that privacy settings
on the social network have changed.
The major changes are:
You can control who does and doesn't have access to every item you post.
The major settings you can make are "Everyone," "Friends" and "Friends of
Friends" but you can include and exclude specific names
Regional networks (cities, countries, etc.) have been eliminated. Many
became so large the lost their usefulness.
Certain information about all users is now publicly available. This may be
more information than you previously had available to complete strangers.
Facebook apps and outside sites that use the Facebook API can only access
information that you've made accessible to Everyone (unless you grant them
greater access).
Facebook also insists that they do not, and never have, given any
personally identifiable information to advertisers.
It's definitely a good idea to go through your privacy settings and make
sure you agree with Facebook's defaults. Click Profile Information for the
big decisions: How open do you want to be with your birthday, your
religion, and who your family is? I decided to make almost everything
available only to friends. My About Me and Education and Work are
available to Everyone.
Facebook Privacy Complaint Ignites War of Words
JR Raphael,
PC World
Dec 17, 2009 5:38 pm
<http://www.pcworld.com/article/185033/
facebook_privacy_complaint_ignites_war_of_words.html>
A shorter URL for the above link:
A high-profile electronic privacy group filed a federal complaint against
Facebook on Thursday -- and now, Facebook is lashing back.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) called upon the Federal
Trade Commission to investigate Facebook's recent changes to its users'
privacy options. The changes, rolled out earlier this month, have been
criticized by some for opening up previously masked personal details to
the public eye.
"These changes violate user expectations, diminish user privacy, and
contradict Facebook's own representations," EPIC's complaint (PDF)
alleges.
EPIC's Facebook Complaint
The EPIC complaint -- supported by the Center for Digital Democracy, the
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, and seven other advocacy organizations --
takes issue with Facebook's newly "public" treatment of such data as
users' names, genders, cities, and profile photos. By default, EPIC points
out, this information is now disclosed to search engines as well as to
third-party Facebook applications.
The concern, according to EPIC, revolves around how this information could
be used against a user's interests.
"More than 100 million people in the United States subscribe to the
Facebook service," Marc Rotenberg, EPIC's executive director, said in a
prepared statement. "The company should not be allowed to turn down the
privacy dial on so many American consumers."
<snip>
Facebook's Response
Facebook, in response, says it's already spoken with the FTC and other
regulators about the changes. A representative from the company notes that
the revised privacy policy also adds a series of more detailed options for
users, including the ability to specify different settings for every
photo, link, or status update posted onto the social network.
"We've had productive discussions with dozens of organizations around the
world about the recent changes," Andrew Noyes, Facebook's manager of
public policy communications, said in a prepared statement. "We're
disappointed that EPIC has chosen to share their concerns with the FTC
while refusing to talk to us about them."
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