(Image Source: techfyre)
BY RICHARD LAYCOCK
Regulators intend to hit Facebook with 20 years worth of audits and other penalties for misleading users over how the company collected and distributed personal information. A writer for the Age has the history of behind the allegations.
“Its agreement with the commission would settle allegations that in 2009 it made public information that users had thought would remain private. The commission also alleged Facebook shared too much information with third parties, including advertisers.”
The settlement which will make Facebook users ‘opt-in’ to future privacy changes, is being heralded by some like a writer for Politico as quite a coup for the FTC.
“It's a landmark settlement for the FTC and a critical development for Facebook, which has come under intense scrutiny about its privacy policies around the world as it prepares a potential initial public offering in 2012. Failure by Facebook to meet the terms of the settlement could subject the company to steep fines.”
But the Alyona Show for RT USA noted because the proposed settlement is not retroactive, the penalties imposed would really have no effect as the ‘opt-in’ feature will only be for future changes.
“Several privacy groups such as EPIC recommended to the FTC that user settings be returned to their pre 2009 levels as part of the settlement. And the FTC simply chose to ignore that advice. Wonder why? Well Gawker points out that leading up to the settlement Facebook has hired not one but two former FTC members. Timothy Muris, a former FTC chair, and Mozelle Thompson, former FTC commishiner. So maybe putting ex-FTC staffers on the Facebook payroll may explain with why they got away with such a toothless settlement.”
WRLH spoke with a social media expert who said that while Facebook did breach their own privacy agreement, consumers have to be more tech-savvy.
“...also for consumers we have to be very conscious that we always leave a digital footprint. So we have to be conscious of what we’re posting online, what we’re putting on our personal profiles and what can happen with them even after we shut them down - which was a big point of contention during this settlement as well.”
According to Politico, the settlement still requires a final vote by the FTC commissioner to enter effect and public comment period on the settlement ends on December 30th.
