New Facebook Privacy Issue Sparks Official FTC Inquiry The social network is under fire again over the way it shares user information for advertising purposes.
By Jason Fell
Facebook is facing criticism again over its privacy standards? You don't say.
The social networking giant's latest privacy changes have sparked an official inquiry by the FTC, according to a report by The New York Times. Late last month, Facebook proposed updates to its Statement of Rights and Responsibilities and data-use policies that state, in part, that users effectively grant Facebook permission to use their personal information in advertising simply by being on the social network.
Facebook says the updates are the result of a federal court order after users complained about their names and photos being used to endorse products in Facebook ads.
While Facebook says the updates are "proposals" that are up for review, the FTC is investigating whether the changes are a violation of a 2011 agreement with regulators that requires Facebook to obtain user consent before sharing anyone's private information.
"Facebook never sought out a discussion with us beforehand about these proposed changes," FTC spokesperson Peter Kaplan said in the article. "We're monitoring compliance with the order. Part of that involves interacting with Facebook."
This, of course, isn't the first time Facebook has come under fire. Over the years, the social network has faced growing criticism for the way it handles its privacy standards and about its cooperation with government search requests.
For the entire story, read The New York Times report here.
Related: How Google, Apple, Facebook and Others Use Your Personal Data (Infographic)
