Facebook answers Canada privacy commissioner
p2pnet news view Advertising | P2P:- “Welcome to Canada is a Big Place Blog and stay tuned for our official blog launch coming soon!” – says the Fa$ebook Canada blog that isn’t.
Not for the moment, anyway.
And while we wait, the social advertising site has made a last-minute response to serious concerns centering on its privacy policies raised by Canadian privacy commissioner Jennifer Stoddart.
CIPPIC (Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic) students studied Fa$ebook`s practices in depth, with special focus on privacy issues as they relate to Canadian law.
Stoddart followed up with an investigation.
Said the executive summary »»»
The Complaint
The complaint against Facebook by the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC) comprised 24 allegations ranging over 12 distinct subjects. These included default privacy settings, collection and use of users` personal information for advertising purposes, disclosure of users` personal information to third-party application developers, and collection and use of non-users` personal information.
The Issues
The central issue in CIPPIC`s allegations was knowledge and consent. Our Office focused its investigation on whether Facebook was providing a sufficient knowledge basis for meaningful consent by documenting purposes for collecting, using, or disclosing personal information and bringing such purposes to individuals` attention in a reasonably direct and transparent way. Retention of personal information was an issue that surfaced specifically in the allegations relating to account deactivation and deletion and non-users` personal information. Security safeguards figured prominently in the allegations about third-party applications and Facebook Mobile.
Findings and Conclusions
On four subjects (e.g., deception and misrepresentation, Facebook Mobile), the Assistant Commissioner found no evidence of any contravention of the Act and concluded that the allegations were not well-founded. On another four subjects (e.g., default privacy settings, advertising), the Assistant Commissioner found Facebook to be in contravention of the Act, but concluded that the allegations were well-founded and resolved on the basis of corrective measures proposed by Facebook in response to her recommendations.
On the remaining subjects of third-party applications, account deactivation and deletion, accounts of deceased users, and non-users` personal information, the Assistant Commissioner likewise found Facebook to be in contravention of the Act and concluded that the allegations were well-founded. In these four cases, there remain unresolved issues where Facebook has not yet agreed to adopt her recommendations. Most notably, regarding third-party applications, the Assistant Commissioner determined that Facebook did not have adequate safeguards in place to prevent unauthorized access by application developers to users` personal information, and furthermore was not doing enough to ensure that meaningful consent was obtained from individuals for the disclosure of their personal information to application developers.
Follow-up
Where well-founded allegations were deemed to be resolved, the Assistant Commissioner notified Facebook that her Office would follow up after 30 days to verify implementation of the proposed corrective measures. Where well-founded allegations remained unresolved, the Assistant Commissioner asked Facebook to reconsider the recommendations in question and gave notice that her Office, in following up on other matters after 30 days, would also check for evidence of acceptance and implementation of those outstanding recommendations or acceptable alternatives.
Fa$ebook was to have answered her by Saturday, August 15, but left it until yesterday to come forward.
Now, “They’re going to satisfy, not just address, the privacy commissioner,” the CBC has CIPPIC acting director David Fewer (right) stating.
He, “said he was under the impression that the website will comply with the recommendations,” says the story, going on:
“The plan will be made public by the end of the month, Fewer said. The commissioner then has 45 days to determine whether Facebook has implemented the plan satisfactorily, after which she may choose to pursue legal action against the website.”
CIPPIC will now be, “turning its attention to other social-networking websites such as MySpace once Facebook’s 45-day implementation period is up,” says the story, adding:
“Without a doubt, the other social-networking sites are offside,” according to Fewer.
Stay tuned.
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
serious concerns – Answer privacy fears by today, Facebook told, August 17, 2009
CBC – Facebook to address Canadian privacy issues, August 17, 2009
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