I’m glad Mark Zuckerberg admits Facebook’s record on privacy is not perfect, but these allegations from the Federal Trade Commission illustrate why I don’t trust Facebook:
The FTC complaint lists a number of instances in which Facebook allegedly made promises that it did not keep:
- In December 2009, Facebook changed its website so certain information that users may have designated as private – such as their Friends List – was made public. They didn’t warn users that this change was coming, or get their approval in advance.
- Facebook represented that third-party apps that users’ installed would have access only to user information that they needed to operate. In fact, the apps could access nearly all of users’ personal data – data the apps didn’t need.
- Facebook told users they could restrict sharing of data to limited audiences – for example with “Friends Only.” In fact, selecting “Friends Only” did not prevent their information from being shared with third-party applications their friends used.
- Facebook had a “Verified Apps” program & claimed it certified the security of participating apps. It didn’t.
- Facebook promised users that it would not share their personal information with advertisers. It did.
- Facebook claimed that when users deactivated or deleted their accounts, their photos and videos would be inaccessible. But Facebook allowed access to the content, even after users had deactivated or deleted their accounts.
- Facebook claimed that it complied with the U.S.- EU Safe Harbor Framework that governs data transfer between the U.S. and the European Union. It didn’t.
It reminds me of how I’ve had trouble trusting Microsoft given their track record, especially after reading through the Halloween Documents years ago.
From Facebook Settles FTC Charges That It Deceived Consumers By Failing To Keep Privacy Promises - http://ftc.gov/opa/2011/11/privacysettlement.shtm via Our Commitment to the Facebook Community | Facebook - http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=10150378701937131 via http://twitter.com/padday/status/141575215430893568