Privacy groups take Facebook complaint to US regulators

[demoleft]

Source: afp

AFP - More than a dozen privacy and consumer protection groups have banded together to protest what they see as duplicity by Facebook when it comes to safeguarding people's information.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center said Thursday it had joined 14 other organizations in filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission charging the social networking website with "unfair and deceptive" practices.

The cadre of Facebook critics also fired off a letter to the US Congress urging legislators to closely monitor how the commission looks into Facebook privacy concerns.

"Facebook continues to manipulate the privacy settings of users and its own privacy policy so that it can take personal information provided by users for a limited purpose and make it widely available for commercial purposes," the letter stated.

Read more: http://www.france24.com/en/20100507-privacy-groups-take-facebook-complaint-us-regulators

[Quantess]

1. That would be really good if facebook was given some new regulations.

I would welcome that.

[Ex Lurker]

2. Facebook is a great resource

but I use it with the assumption that everything I post there will be in the public domain, regardless of what their privacy policy says, and what my privacy settings are. If I don't want the whole world to see it, I keep it off my profile. I'm amazed at what some people put out there.

[Quantess]

3. I know. Especially things that identity thieves might find useful.

Facebook thinks I'm 95 years old because I registered as being born in 1915. Maybe I should have even registered my birthday off by a day or two...but still, my month and day are only visible to "friends", and the fake year is never shown.

I think it's a bad idea to offer too much information on the profile, such as identifying who your relatives are, or stating the year you graduated from college. Absolutely do not give out your home address or telephone number! And also, set it up so that search engines will not find your facebook profile.

Considering some of my "friends" are people I haven't seen in many, many years, why should I trust all of them with my sensitive information? Just be vague about everything important.

But still, facebook has made some recent changes. Do you know about the new "Pilot Program" (something like that), and that you have to go to the settings and uncheck the box, otherwise your information will be given to commercial sites? I can tell you where it's located on the settings if this is news to you.

[Ex Lurker]

4. thanks, I got that email. already done. n/t

[Iowa]

5. I truly do not get the appeal of Facebook...

It appears to consists mostly of people posting excruciatingly boring chatter, followed by a string of equally insipid replies. It reminds me of the inane banter that takes place at an office staff meeting as they're passing the donuts around. I endured many years of that before I retired... I can't imagine why anyone would voluntarily subject themselves to such drivel without being paid to endure it. I think I'd rather have my nose hairs ripped out one by one.

[Sherman A1]

6. It is like any form of communications

It is a tool. I have been able to reconnect with some people that I knew years ago and use it to stay in touch with some others that are in other areas of the country. It also allows me to get some updates from our local Library and museums on events that I might find of interest. The National Archives has a page that they update regularly along with the Smithsonian, as well as a Photography web page that I pick up various tips from. So it has benefits, but one must understand that any form of communication has it's down side as well.

[Ex Lurker]

7. I resisted it for several years

But since I got drawn in, I've reconnected with a lot of old friends I wouldn't have touched base with if not for FB. I've met some neat people I would never have encountered otherwise. And I'm in closer contact with scattered relatives than I've ever been before. That said, some people spend way too much time on it. It's astounding how many otherwise normal adults are obsessed with playing Farmville and such.

[Dorian Gray]

8. It can be like that

and FB certainly isn't for everybody. The advantages of keeping in touch with my extensive family (I have 25 first cousins) and all my old students from when I worked overseas makes it worthwhile for me.

There are a LOT of inanities on there, and it IS a platform for narcissists to go for the gold, though!