Facebook Sued In California Over 'Like' Feature

LOS ANGELES — Two Los Angeles County teenagers are suing Facebook, claiming the social network effectively sold their names and images to advertisers without parental permission.

The lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles challenges a Facebook feature that allows members to note that they like an advertised service or product. Facebook broadcasts those endorsements to the user's friends.

The lawsuit also claims minors unwittingly endorse Facebook when people typing their names in a search engine are steered to a Facebook sign-up page.

The plaintiffs say Palo Alto-based Facebook is violating a California law that requires parental consent for children to make commercial endorsements. The teens seek unspecified damages.

Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes says the lawsuit is meritless. He notes Facebook doesn't allow users under 18 to let their profiles appear on public search engines.

Comments

[Jill Kennedy]

12:40 PM on 08/31/2010

Personally, I think (from a financial perspective) Facebook has started down the road to becoming worthless. Too big to be acquired, costs too high to make consistent profit growth, IPO not really on the horizon... Eventually backlash and boredom will drive users away and it will snowball from there...

http://mankabros.com/onmedea/2010/07/facebook_is_worthless.html

[Carlton Daley]

12:05 AM on 10/01/2010

Well although this maybe true facebook still doing great

[josefhiggins]

09:26 AM on 08/30/2010

I think they have a case.

[geoffstaples]

02:55 AM on 08/30/2010

Who knows whether this suit will fly. However, it's pretty obvious that our privacy laws are inadequate to the capabilities of the Internet.

Rather than ridiculing this suit, we should be talking about the privacy protection we need and want, and how to achieve it without squelching the Internet's ability to innovate.

[mudshark12]

02:22 AM on 08/30/2010

Get a real gripe!

[miamia25]

09:34 PM on 08/29/2010

This is why I do not press the like button.

[pakaal]

03:58 PM on 08/29/2010

One key point: "Facebook broadcasts those endorsements to the user's friends."

The question is whether specific information distributed solely to people within your "social network" really constitutes a public endorsement. I'm thinking not. Or at least, no more than someone saying I "endorse" the Russian Futurists because they're listed in music I like--also available for all my friends to see.

[angry expat]

12:36 PM on 08/29/2010

Where are the parents? Are we going to let our kids do whatever they want on the internet? Really?

[gypsy508]

12:18 PM on 08/29/2010

Under 18 or not, California law states clearly that no company can use someone's name without their permission in advertisements.

[zxrod]

09:39 AM on 08/30/2010

I could be mistaken but you probably surrender that right somewhere within their terms of service?

[NightEditor]

10:28 AM on 08/29/2010

Still looking for the Dislike icon.

[Cali Saracen]

08:10 AM on 08/29/2010

Like, they will never win this one

[rocknrollinhoneybadger]

04:18 AM on 08/29/2010

Why am I not surprised that this lawsuit came out of California, home of the ignorant swarm, a.k.a Liberals.

[flashblitzen]

06:29 AM on 08/29/2010

Yool be baaahk...

[Randy Wetzel]

03:37 PM on 08/29/2010

Yes, thats why right wingers are typically under-educted, absent free-thinking, quickly avoid and disavow fact and easily lead around by the nose.
Thankfully we have you to set us straight. Oh looky...quick, Glenn Beck is on.

[Randy Wetzel]

03:40 PM on 08/29/2010

I'll take the rap for dropping the "a" out of educated. At least I realize when I make a mistake.

[Nichole Boultas]

02:51 AM on 08/29/2010

I didn't know a law like that existed.

[Joseph Bethea]

02:10 AM on 08/29/2010

Oh please this is a scam for someone trying to make a buck most likely the parents

[colamonkey]

03:50 PM on 08/29/2010

Facebook is a money-making scam.

[SickHippie]

02:45 AM on 08/30/2010

Life is a money-making scam...

[emmeaki]

11:33 PM on 08/28/2010

Facebook doesn't allow users under 18 to let their profiles appear on public search engines, but it's ok to sell their images to advertisers? WTF?

[aftm03]

10:08 PM on 08/28/2010

Get over it people. If you don't want your information or images on the internet then don't put them on the internet. Just assume that everyone is going to see it, and if that is a problem for you then don't post it. This is ridiculous. Everyone has a problem with facebook, but they all have one. If you don't like it, don't use it. Stop clogging up the court system with pointless lawsuits.