Facebook et la FTC

Le 17 décembre 2009, l'Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) et d'autres associations de protection déposent une plainte contre Facebook auprès de la Federal Trade Commission (FTC):

"This complaint concerns material changes to privacy settings made by Facebook, the largest social network service in the United States, which adversely impact users of the Facebook service" 

(Source: Complaint - In the Matter of Facebook Inc, p. 1) 

Les demandeurs rappellent "the importance of privacy protection" et, insistent sur les éléments suivants: 

• Facebook's Size and Reach Is Unparalleled Among Social Networking Sites
• Facebook Has Previously Changed Its Services in Ways that Harm Users' Privacy
• Changes in Privacy Settings: "Publicly Available Information"
• Changes to Privacy Settings: Information Disclosure to Application Developers
• Facebook Users Oppose the Changes to the Privacy Settings

Ils entendent faire reconnaître que, d'une part, "material changes to privacy practices and misrepresentations of privacy policies constitute consumer harm" et, d'autre part, que "Facebook's revisions to the privacy settings constitute an unfair and deceptive trade practice". (Source: Complaint - In the Matter of Facebook Inc, p. 25 et suiv.) 

Le 10 novembre 2011, on peut lire dans le Wall Street Journal que Facebook et la FTC seraient proches d'un accord relativement à cette plainte.

"[t]he settlement would require Facebook to obtain "express affirmative consent" if Facebook makes "material retroactive changes," and to submit to independent privacy audits for 20 years."

(Source: EPIC, Latest News, 10/11/2011)

• In the Matter of Facebook inc., December 17, 2009
• Julia ANGWIN, Shayndi RAICE, Spencer E. ANTE, "Facebook Retreats on Privacy", Wall Street Journal, November 10, 2011. 
• ELECTRONIC PRIVACY INFORMATION CENTER, "WSJ: Facebook Close to Settlement with FTC over EPIC Complaint", Latest News, November 10, 2011.
• Hayley TSUKAYAMA,"Report: Facebook, FTC close to settlement on privacy",  The Washington Post, November 10, 2011.  
• "Données personnelles : Facebook proche d'un accord avec les autorités", Le Monde, 11 novembre 2011.
• Sara FORDEN, "Facebook may have get consent from users before sharing material posted under previous privacy policy", The Washington Post, November 11, 2011.  
• Hayley TSUKAYAMA, "Privacy by default: a look at Facebook’s settings", The Washington Post, November 11, 2011.