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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/aug/10/facebook-to-tighten-privacy-policies
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Facebook agrees to tighten its privacy policies | Facebook agrees to tighten its privacy policies |
(2 months later) | |
Facebook has agreed to tighten its privacy policies after it settled a long-running dispute with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). | Facebook has agreed to tighten its privacy policies after it settled a long-running dispute with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). |
The social network was accused by the regulator last year of introducing "unfair and deceptive" changes to its privacy policies in 2009, including settings that made users' confidential profile information public without their consent. | The social network was accused by the regulator last year of introducing "unfair and deceptive" changes to its privacy policies in 2009, including settings that made users' confidential profile information public without their consent. |
Facebook also shared personal information including status updates, geographic location and marital status with advertisers and third-party applications without telling users, the FTC said. | Facebook also shared personal information including status updates, geographic location and marital status with advertisers and third-party applications without telling users, the FTC said. |
News of the settlement, which ties Facebook to biannual privacy inspections by an independent watchdog for the next 20 years, came just a day after Google was fined a record $22.5m (£14.4m) by the FTC for circumventing privacy protections on Apple's Safari web browser. | News of the settlement, which ties Facebook to biannual privacy inspections by an independent watchdog for the next 20 years, came just a day after Google was fined a record $22.5m (£14.4m) by the FTC for circumventing privacy protections on Apple's Safari web browser. |
The allegations laid bare by the FTC about the two internet giants will heighten concern about the security of peoples' private data in some of the most popular digital destinations. Facebook boasts more than 955 million active monthly users, according to its latest figures. Google controlled two-thirds of the US search market in June and its share is even greater in most European countries, said the metrics firm ComScore. | The allegations laid bare by the FTC about the two internet giants will heighten concern about the security of peoples' private data in some of the most popular digital destinations. Facebook boasts more than 955 million active monthly users, according to its latest figures. Google controlled two-thirds of the US search market in June and its share is even greater in most European countries, said the metrics firm ComScore. |
The FTC said Facebook was liable for "a broad range of deceptive conduct" relating to what it tells users about their private profile information. | The FTC said Facebook was liable for "a broad range of deceptive conduct" relating to what it tells users about their private profile information. |
The bulk of the charges against Facebook relate to its overhaul of users' privacy settings in November 2010. The FTC said that Facebook failed to tell users that it changed the settings so they could no longer restrict access to their name, profile, picture, gender, friend list, pages, or networks. | The bulk of the charges against Facebook relate to its overhaul of users' privacy settings in November 2010. The FTC said that Facebook failed to tell users that it changed the settings so they could no longer restrict access to their name, profile, picture, gender, friend list, pages, or networks. |
"Facebook's failure to adequately disclose these facts, in light of the representation made, constitutes a deceptive act or practice," the FTC said. | "Facebook's failure to adequately disclose these facts, in light of the representation made, constitutes a deceptive act or practice," the FTC said. |
The social network also made public users' photos and videos even after their accounts had been deactivated. | The social network also made public users' photos and videos even after their accounts had been deactivated. |
The five , commissioners were split over whether to settle the dispute, with three voting in favour, one abstaining, and Commissioner J Thomas Rosch dissenting on the basis that Facebook had denied liability for its actions. He argued that it should at least be required to take the position that it neither confirmed nor denied liability – a position he also argued in dissenting from the 4-1 verdict over Google's fine. Google denied liability to the FTC; it was fined because it was already the subject of a consent order similar to that now tying Facebook. | The five , commissioners were split over whether to settle the dispute, with three voting in favour, one abstaining, and Commissioner J Thomas Rosch dissenting on the basis that Facebook had denied liability for its actions. He argued that it should at least be required to take the position that it neither confirmed nor denied liability – a position he also argued in dissenting from the 4-1 verdict over Google's fine. Google denied liability to the FTC; it was fined because it was already the subject of a consent order similar to that now tying Facebook. |
Comments | |
4 comments, displaying first | |
10 August 2012 8:15PM | |
farcebook is hopefully on its last legs as it has too many fake ids and businesses who now see the very limited value of it | |
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11 August 2012 8:58AM | |
Pretty stupid, I can't believe people still post articles about Facebook privacy. Facebook's terms and conditions say they don't directly sell your information to 3rd parties, it's information you provide to them, and then they target ads that may be based on your interests. Facebook pages/ businesses/ advertisers cannot see your interests or info because they do not have access to anything you post. And yes, of course that statement that I just made only applies to people who have a pretty "closed" profile. If the author of this article was more educated, I'm sure this article would be a hit. I guess the only way to make this post in to your(@the author) words, is to slam Facebook's privacy settings. of course the privacy settings isn't perfect, but not as bad as the article claims it is. | |
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11 August 2012 8:14PM | |
Who brought me here ? | |
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12 August 2012 6:36PM | |
@Josh Phillips So the US Federal Trade Commission is "pretty stupid," then? I would call them lazy. So lazy that they wouldn't go after Facebook if there wasn't a real issue. Which there was. Human rights activists in repressive countries and previous victims of domestic violence were seriously endangered by what Facebook did. May I suggest you read the book Consent of the Networked. | |
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Comments on this page are now closed. | |
Facebook to be investigated over privacy concerns | |
30 Sep 2011 | |
Irish privacy regulator to audit how social network handles users' data in Europe. By Josh Halliday | |
13 Aug 2012 | |
Facebook accused of deceiving developers over security | |
18 Apr 2011 | |
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27 May 2010 | |
How do the new Facebook privacy settings work? | |
21 May 2010 | |
Online privacy is a work in progress | |
Facebook to tweak privacy settings, says Zuckerberg | |
24 May 2010 | |
The social networking website 'missed the mark' on privacy controls, says founder Mark Zuckerberg | |
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Social network settles dispute with FTC over 'deceptive act' of making confidential information public without consent | |
Facebook has agreed to tighten its privacy policies after it settled a long-running dispute with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). | |
The social network was accused by the regulator last year of introducing "unfair and deceptive" changes to its privacy policies in 2009, including settings that made users' confidential profile information public without their consent. | |
Facebook also shared personal information including status updates, geographic location and marital status with advertisers and third-party applications without telling users, the FTC said. | |
News of the settlement, which ties Facebook to biannual privacy inspections by an independent watchdog for the next 20 years, came just a day after Google was fined a record $22.5m (£14.4m) by the FTC for circumventing privacy protections on Apple's Safari web browser. | |
The allegations laid bare by the FTC about the two internet giants will heighten concern about the security of peoples' private data in some of the most popular digital destinations. Facebook boasts more than 955 million active monthly users, according to its latest figures. Google controlled two-thirds of the US search market in June and its share is even greater in most European countries, said the metrics firm ComScore. | |
The FTC said Facebook was liable for "a broad range of deceptive conduct" relating to what it tells users about their private profile information. | |
The bulk of the charges against Facebook relate to its overhaul of users' privacy settings in November 2010. The FTC said that Facebook failed to tell users that it changed the settings so they could no longer restrict access to their name, profile, picture, gender, friend list, pages, or networks. | |
"Facebook's failure to adequately disclose these facts, in light of the representation made, constitutes a deceptive act or practice," the FTC said. | |
The social network also made public users' photos and videos even after their accounts had been deactivated. | |
The five , commissioners were split over whether to settle the dispute, with three voting in favour, one abstaining, and Commissioner J Thomas Rosch dissenting on the basis that Facebook had denied liability for its actions. He argued that it should at least be required to take the position that it neither confirmed nor denied liability – a position he also argued in dissenting from the 4-1 verdict over Google's fine. Google denied liability to the FTC; it was fined because it was already the subject of a consent order similar to that now tying Facebook. |