FTC Scrutinizing Facebook’s Proposed Privacy Policy Changes

Back in August Facebook proposed a number of changes to its privacy policy, they’ve been the cause of much criticism. Since then, six privacy groups have complained to the FTC that these proposed changes violate a 2011 settlement that the world’s largest social network had with the agency. One of the changes states that Facebook users give permission to the network to use their name, profile picture and other content with sponsored, commercial and related content. Peter Kaplan, a spokesman for the FTC, has said that the agency will scrutinize the changes.

A Facebook spokesman has said that they routinely discuss policy updates with the FTC, so this time is no different. Back in 2011, it was alleged that Facebook was sharing users’ private information without their content. Under its settlement with the FTC, Facebook didn’t admit guilt, but agreed to obtaining user consent first for sharing users’ information which lie outside the scope of their respective privacy settings. The social network also said that it is fully complying with the FTC and that its new policy does not grant it any expanded privileges to use personal data. Kaplan says that the FTC has no reason to believe that Facebook has violated its 2011 settlement.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: Web
Tags: Facebook, ftc