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Facebook Caves To Privacy Protests Over Beacon

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the privacy-is-dead dept.

jcatcw writes "After weeks of privacy protests over its advertising system, Facebook's CEO announced that users now can turn the system off completely. CEO Zuckerberg said 'We simply did a bad job with this release.' Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy, called the announcement from Zuckerberg 'a step in the right direction.'"

5 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. Opt In Not Opt Out by meehawl · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is a salve. Things like this should be opt in, not opt out. Aside from ethical considerations, it would make the data a lot more reliable in terms of a self-selecting group of people that welcomed Facebook spying on their consumption habits. Presumably, these opt-inners would welcome marketing spam.

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    Da Blog
  2. Just like last time... by vaderhelmet · · Score: 5, Informative

    During the mini-feeds debacle, Mark ended up conceding with a comment very similar to this. (http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=2208562130) If they were really interested in privacy concerns, they would have learned from the first time. To me, it seems like a way to see how far they can push the line before people will complain.

  3. Re:Well... by Bill,+Shooter+of+Bul · · Score: 5, Funny

    The temptation to cash out is just too great for most companies. The only reason why Slashdot isn't worse is because of Taco. I'm not sure why though. Does the contract that gives him full editorial control, fail to specify a system of bonuses based upon ad revenue? Or is he just that incorruptible? or I guess its possible that he just wants a fun solid job with a long term future, rather than a quick cash out. He mentioned the topic a bit during the anniversary hubabaloo, but the monetary link wasn't mentioned, although If I were him I wouldn't have mentioned it either.

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    Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
  4. How do you turn it off if you're not a member? by bn0p · · Score: 5, Interesting

    From the article "Facebook came under withering criticism from its users and privacy advocates alike when a security researcher revealed that the ad system tracks user activities on third-party partner sites -- including the activities of people who never signed up with Facebook, who deactivated their accounts or who were not signed on to the site." [emphasis added]

    What are they doing with the data of people who never signed up for Facebook in the first place? Is there a list of the 3rd-party sites that provide data to Facebook so that they can be avoided? I know that Facebook is not the only site to track user activity, but this underscores the need for a "Do Not track" list. Like that will happen anytime soon :D.


    Never let reality temper imagination.

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    Never let reality temper imagination
  5. Boycott the Advertisers (list) by jnadke · · Score: 5, Informative

    Need to cut the problem at the source: the advertisers themselves. This wasn't easy to find in google, but here's a list of sites that have privacy-violating Beacon code embedded in them.

    Boycott the following sites:

    eBay
    Fandango
    College Humor
    Busted Tees
    iWon
    Citysearch
    Pronto.com
    echomusic
    Travelocity
    Allposters.com
    Blockbuster
    Bluefly.com
    CBS Sports
    Dotspotter
    ExpoTV
    Gamefly
    Hotwire
    Joost
    Kiva
    Kongregate
    LiveJournal
    Live Nation
    Mercantila
    The NBA
    The New York Times
    Overstock.com
    (RED)
    Redlight
    Seamless Web
    Sony Online Entertainment
    Sony Pictures
    STA Travel
    TheKnot
    TripAdvisor
    Travel Ticker
    Typepad
    viagogo
    Vox
    Yelp
    WeddingChannel.com
    Zappos

    Source: http://www.facebook.com/press/releases.php?p=9166 (found from a blog)