Facebook Privacy In Question: Irish Regulators To Probe 'Frictionless Sharing' And More

LONDON (Reuters) - Facebook faces regulatory scrutiny in Ireland, site of its European headquarters, over its handling of personal information, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

The newspaper said the Irish data protection commissioner is to conduct a privacy audit of Facebook's activities outside the United States and Canada after complaints by European and U.S. privacy campaigning groups to the Irish commissioner and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

The groups raised concerns over Facebook's "frictionless sharing" of reading, listening and viewing activity as well as the use of cookies to track users' browsing.

The FT reported that Gary Davis, Irish deputy data protection commissioner, said his office would conduct a detailed audit of the group's activities outside the United States and Canada next month.

"This audit will examine the subject matter of the complaint but also will be more extensive and will seek to examine Facebook's compliance more generally with Irish data protection law."

Facebook's European headquarters are in Dublin, which makes its operations outside the United States and Canada subject to Irish and European data protection legislation.

Facebook was unavailable for immediate comment.

(Reporting by Stephen Mangan; Editing by Gary Hill)

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions

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Comments

[rebelriser]

05:31 PM on 10/01/2011

I tend to not trust anyone with my information, especially companies which are in it for money. Look at how we now need to work so hard to keep our information private, but still we're put on mailing lists. Ask anyone who is nearing Social Security age about the age related mailings that begin to fill the mail box, such as free hearing tests, retirement insurance and you name it and then ask them if they've been successful when trying to remove their name from these lists. Some one is putting together mailing lists of persons approaching and already at Social Security age. The only place that has such information about us is the Social Security department, and whether the SS Department is or is not giving names of seniors, someone is somehow getting this information from Social Security. So why in the name of God, would I want to be part of facebook and trust that they will not sell or give our information? Also consider the danger of senior's names & addresses getting into the hands of scam artists whether locally or interationally.

[Ronald Stresser Jr]

07:20 PM on 09/30/2011

Face what? I have many more important things to worry than about Facebook, a social network that was born with revolutionary purposes and eventually became an financial speculation object. The financial speculation and obscure interests destroys everything. I'm more Google, that allows everyone to earn money with them.

[DomainDiva]

07:05 PM on 09/30/2011

Is it me or does it seem like Zuckerberg thinks he is Steve Jobs and FB as important as Apple?

[Ember Firedog]

11:31 PM on 10/03/2011

Definitely. Z is very impressed with the mirror.

[vinnieboiblue]

05:27 PM on 09/30/2011

I have already canceled my FB membership. When I read they were being investigated by the FTC,and their spying on users even after logging out, I couldn't help but think what else do they know about me and is passing it on to third parties?

[linecrosser]

03:28 PM on 09/30/2011

I believe it best to assume that everything put online is available to who every wants it. the bummer of it all is that if the government wants it they get it free. And I'm pretty sure, that if they ask somebody for your information and said holder of that information doesn't provide it, they will be fined are shipped to Cuba and held as a terrorist. Which of course anyone online is a terrorist, get used to it. It's the new normal.

[umish]

01:32 PM on 09/30/2011

If you post anything on the internet on any site, you must assume you are abrogationg any rights to privacy... What are you stupid to think someone isnt going to try to make a buck at your expense. You really gotta be stupid.... If you dont want your information shared, dont post it.

[vinnieboiblue]

05:35 PM on 09/30/2011

When you log off from FaceBook only to find out, they're following your every online move from what sites you visit to who you chat with, on another site, that to me says electronic spying. No different than what spies from other countries do. That is dangerous, and am glad the Federal Government is looking into it.

[Warpde]

01:18 PM on 09/30/2011

As I stay away from Facebook these days it took a bit to find this site.
http://www.reclaimprivacy.org/
It's worth a look if you want to get your privacy setting done.
They do have a disclaimer,
"NOTE this scanner is not fully compatible with the latest Facebook privacy settings, so please be sure you check your privacy settings manually yourself."

But I found that they got up to date pretty quick with the previous setting changes.

[SHIRLEY CARR]

12:57 PM on 09/30/2011

Frictionlessly sharing this with y'all; Clear your cookies so FB can't write your autobiography instead of you doing it! Infringe upon my rights, everybody else does. Just go with the flow, life is too short.

[scotsg8r]

12:54 PM on 09/30/2011

Ha ha ha!

Facebook privacy. lolz

Adding to my list of oxymorons...

[nomac]

03:54 PM on 09/30/2011

better yet....the facebook game about privacy....

[bumpersticker]

12:29 PM on 09/30/2011

This morning I went to Starbucks and the Starbucker handed me a low fat pumpkin spice latte before I could say anything, She said that Facebook saw me coming and knew I would like one.

[dukeitout]

12:24 PM on 09/30/2011

These websites (HuffPo excluded) say they won't disclose your private information--------but they all will if there's a buck to be made. It will take a law to stop or slow them down. Nothing less.

[nerfTractor]

12:17 PM on 09/30/2011

HuffPost moderators, as usual... REALLY?

[dzent1]

01:00 PM on 09/30/2011

Really. Sad, ain't it?

[Queen Regnant]

11:52 AM on 09/30/2011

Google does the cookies too - they are used to "remarket" based on your browsing habits. That's why you look at one site and see it's ad on the next site you look at. I find it annoying.

[Bascoda]

12:07 PM on 09/30/2011

There are a number of programs available that will remove tracking cookies from your computer, such as Spybot Search and Destroy, Glary Utilities, and Super Anti-spyware. Most of them have a free version for personal use.

[Katco]

12:22 PM on 09/30/2011

I use http://www.ghostery.com

Ghostery sees the invisible web - tags, web bugs, pixels and beacons. Ghostery tracks the trackers and gives you a roll-call of the ad networks, behavioral data providers, web publishers, and other companies interested in your activity. It gives you the option of blocking the trackers.

[airmikee99]

12:53 PM on 09/30/2011

Definitely going to have to check this thing out, thanks for the link!

[mahdeealoo]

11:40 AM on 09/30/2011

Facebook, in everyone's face. Again.

[Ember Firedog]

11:39 AM on 09/30/2011

Is frictionless sharing the next best thing to actual sex?

[Moogirl]

10:47 PM on 10/02/2011

I would think it would be the next best thing to abstinence!