Silcc69
10-21-2011, 07:03 PM
Eight hundred million users are not enough. Facebook, the world's biggest social network, is now building profiles of non-users who haven't even signed up, an international privacy watchdog charges.
The sensational claim is made in a complaint filed in August (http://europe-v-facebook.org/Compalint_02_Shadow_Profiles.pdf) by Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner. It alleges that users are encouraged to hand over the personal data of other people -- including names, phone numbers, email addresses and more -- which Facebook (http://www.hungangels.com/vboard/#) is using to create "extensive profiles" of non-users.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/10/21/facebook-building-shadow-profiles-non-members-experts-allege/#ixzz1bR8dw9GO
Facebook categorically denies the allegation, but experts tell FoxNews.com that it could well be true.
“There can be little doubt that Facebook collects from its current users information about individuals who are not currently Facebook users, and collects from its current users information about other Facebook users,” said Kelly Kubasta, who heads the Dallas law firm Klemchuk Kubasta (http://www.kk-llp.com/)’s social media (http://www.hungangels.com/vboard/#) division.
Ciara O'Sullivan, a spokeswoman for Ireland's Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, told FoxNews.com that its audit of Facebook Ireland's privacy policies was part of a "statutory investigation" that the office anticipates will lead to immediate changes.
"The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner will be commencing a comprehensive audit of Facebook Ireland before the end of the month," O’Sullivan said.
But Facebook denies that it is creating "shadow profiles" and tracking users and non-users alike.
“Facebook does not track users across the web,” a Facebook spokesman said in a statement to FoxNews.com. “We use cookies on social plug-ins to personalize content, to help maintain and improve what we do, or for safety and security.”
Furthermore, Facebook says that no information it receives from users is employed to target ads, and that it does not resell information from users to third parties. The company prominently posts its established privacy policy (http://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/your-info#howweuse) on its Web site.
But that isn’t what they’re thinking in Ireland. The complaint makes clear that it believes Facebook is doing just that -- and enumerates several scenarios that would give any social-networker shivers.
“Facebook Ireland is gathering excessive amounts of information about data subjects without notice or consent by the data subject," the complaint states, adding that in many cases the information "might be embarrassing or intimidating for the data subject. This information might also constitute sensitive data such as political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation and so forth."
European law carries heavy penalties for companies that violate "information privacy" laws -- in contrast to the relatively lax U.S. laws. But the U.S. has issues with Facebook as well: Privacy rights litigation is proceeding in Mississippi, Louisiana, Kansas and Kentucky. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is also probing complaints about Palo Alto-based Facebook, while Congress is calling for an inquiry.
Kubasta noted that -- for better or for worse -- Facebook's best defense may be a good offense. After all, it's not alone: Several other websites (http://www.hungangels.com/vboard/#) are undertaking this kind of tracking as well.
“Regardless of what Facebook is doing, many websites collect and propagate personally identifiable information (http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/01/19/spokeo-cyber-security-warn-threat-privacy/) about individuals who have not entered into any agreement with the website. Just a few examples include Spokeo, iSearch, WhitePages.com,” Kubasta told FoxNews.com.
"In other words, ‘the horse may be out of the barn,’” he said.
Other experts say these lawsuits may be at the forefront of a new trend -- increased consumer demand for data privacy online, and improved corporate response to those demands.
Marilyn Prosch, co-founder of the Privacy by Design Research Lab at Arizona State University, has conducted extensive research on online privacy (http://www.hungangels.com/vboard/#), electronic commerce and other IT subjects.
She is working with social media and other online industry leaders to create guidelines for businesses worldwide to effectively protect personal data.
“Privacy assurance must ideally become an organization’s default mode of operation,” Prosch told FoxNews.com
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/10/21/facebook-building-shadow-profiles-non-members-experts-allege/#ixzz1bR8XTgUj
I don't have a FB and I sure as hell don't want them making me one.
The sensational claim is made in a complaint filed in August (http://europe-v-facebook.org/Compalint_02_Shadow_Profiles.pdf) by Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner. It alleges that users are encouraged to hand over the personal data of other people -- including names, phone numbers, email addresses and more -- which Facebook (http://www.hungangels.com/vboard/#) is using to create "extensive profiles" of non-users.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/10/21/facebook-building-shadow-profiles-non-members-experts-allege/#ixzz1bR8dw9GO
Facebook categorically denies the allegation, but experts tell FoxNews.com that it could well be true.
“There can be little doubt that Facebook collects from its current users information about individuals who are not currently Facebook users, and collects from its current users information about other Facebook users,” said Kelly Kubasta, who heads the Dallas law firm Klemchuk Kubasta (http://www.kk-llp.com/)’s social media (http://www.hungangels.com/vboard/#) division.
Ciara O'Sullivan, a spokeswoman for Ireland's Office of the Data Protection Commissioner, told FoxNews.com that its audit of Facebook Ireland's privacy policies was part of a "statutory investigation" that the office anticipates will lead to immediate changes.
"The Office of the Data Protection Commissioner will be commencing a comprehensive audit of Facebook Ireland before the end of the month," O’Sullivan said.
But Facebook denies that it is creating "shadow profiles" and tracking users and non-users alike.
“Facebook does not track users across the web,” a Facebook spokesman said in a statement to FoxNews.com. “We use cookies on social plug-ins to personalize content, to help maintain and improve what we do, or for safety and security.”
Furthermore, Facebook says that no information it receives from users is employed to target ads, and that it does not resell information from users to third parties. The company prominently posts its established privacy policy (http://www.facebook.com/about/privacy/your-info#howweuse) on its Web site.
But that isn’t what they’re thinking in Ireland. The complaint makes clear that it believes Facebook is doing just that -- and enumerates several scenarios that would give any social-networker shivers.
“Facebook Ireland is gathering excessive amounts of information about data subjects without notice or consent by the data subject," the complaint states, adding that in many cases the information "might be embarrassing or intimidating for the data subject. This information might also constitute sensitive data such as political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation and so forth."
European law carries heavy penalties for companies that violate "information privacy" laws -- in contrast to the relatively lax U.S. laws. But the U.S. has issues with Facebook as well: Privacy rights litigation is proceeding in Mississippi, Louisiana, Kansas and Kentucky. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is also probing complaints about Palo Alto-based Facebook, while Congress is calling for an inquiry.
Kubasta noted that -- for better or for worse -- Facebook's best defense may be a good offense. After all, it's not alone: Several other websites (http://www.hungangels.com/vboard/#) are undertaking this kind of tracking as well.
“Regardless of what Facebook is doing, many websites collect and propagate personally identifiable information (http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/01/19/spokeo-cyber-security-warn-threat-privacy/) about individuals who have not entered into any agreement with the website. Just a few examples include Spokeo, iSearch, WhitePages.com,” Kubasta told FoxNews.com.
"In other words, ‘the horse may be out of the barn,’” he said.
Other experts say these lawsuits may be at the forefront of a new trend -- increased consumer demand for data privacy online, and improved corporate response to those demands.
Marilyn Prosch, co-founder of the Privacy by Design Research Lab at Arizona State University, has conducted extensive research on online privacy (http://www.hungangels.com/vboard/#), electronic commerce and other IT subjects.
She is working with social media and other online industry leaders to create guidelines for businesses worldwide to effectively protect personal data.
“Privacy assurance must ideally become an organization’s default mode of operation,” Prosch told FoxNews.com
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/10/21/facebook-building-shadow-profiles-non-members-experts-allege/#ixzz1bR8XTgUj
I don't have a FB and I sure as hell don't want them making me one.