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Facebook Axes "Beacon," Donates $9.5M To Settle Suit

Posted by kdawson on from the all-your-data-are-you-know-the-rest dept.

alphadogg sends in a Network World piece that begins "Facebook has agreed to shut down a program that sparked a lawsuit alleging privacy violations, and set up a $9.5M fund for a nonprofit foundation that will support online privacy, safety, and security. The lawsuit centers around Facebook's Beacon program, which let third-party Web sites distribute 'stories' about users to Facebook. Beacon was launched in November 2007 and less than a year later plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit 'alleging that Facebook and its affiliates did not give users adequate notice and choice about Beacon and the collection and use of users' personal information.' ... Facebook never admitted wrongdoing but as part of a proposed settlement the company began sending notices to Facebook users this week. The settlement provides no compensation directly to users who receive the notice. Facebook users can opt out of the settlement, and should do so if they wish to pursue further legal action against Facebook related to the Beacon program. 'If you choose to do nothing and remain in the settlement class, you will be legally bound by the settlement,' a FAQ on the settlement Web site says. "By doing nothing, you will be giving up the right to sue Facebook and the other Defendants over claims related to or arising out of the Beacon program.'" Other defendents included Blockbuster, Fandango, Overstock.com, Zappos.com, and Gamefly. Neither the article nor the settlement site mentions what part, if any, they play in the settlement.

11 of 71 comments (clear)

  1. Silly by dontPanik · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It would be totally silly if someone was to sue Facebook over this.
    Yeah, they do have fault in that they didn't design Beacon better so that 3rd parties wouldn't be able to trick users, but I just feel like people want a reason to sue, sue, sue.
    I mean, it has been around for two years, and if a 3rd party site uses it, I believe that you'll notice, because it will show up in Facebook.

    And truthfully? I loved this feature. I would order out to restaurants and at the end it would be like "do you want to share this over Facebook" and I'd be like "Shit why not!" and I'd get a laugh out of my friends criticizing or commending me on my food choice.

    --
    "Computers are useless. They can only give you answers." - Pablo Picasso
    1. Re:Silly by Darkness404 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It depends on your feelings of privacy. Myself I tend to give out a decent amount of information to my Facebook friends because the vast majority of them either A) are trusted friends or B) random strangers who I might never meet in my life. However, beacon is a bad thing for a lot of people who might need privacy or who have Facebook-stalking loved ones who may jump to conclusions. Think about it this way, you are on a business trip and decide to order at an upscale restaurant for just you because you like the food, yet your Facebook-stalking wife/girlfriend sees a beacon post about your reservation and thinks that you -clearly- are seeing someone other than her and no one would ever eat at an upscale restaurant just by themselves and clearly your business trip you are on is simply a front for you to cheat on her. And yes, stuff like this does happen. If you are lucky enough like some people (like you and me) not to have friends who don't trust you, but some people are unlucky enough to have situations like this.

      --
      Taxation is legalized theft, no more, no less.
  2. I don't use these services... by PyroMosh · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I don't use myspace, facebook, etc. but perhaps someone can enlighten me. Why do people who publish info in the internet about themselves somehow feel entitled to some sense of privacy in doing so? It's counter-intuitive on it's face, at best.

    The fact that it's Facebook that was providing hooks through an API to push info out to third parties is just a matter of efficiency. If the data's there, either you have it walled off for your eyes only, (in which case, why "publish" at all?) or it's open through some method to third parties anyway.

    Why would one go publishing info about themselves that they didn't want out there?

    This strikes me as panic for panic's sake. What am I missing?

    --
    Touch everywhere, even when inappropriate.
    1. Re:I don't use these services... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Some info people choose to publish. Other info people didn't choose to publish but it was published for them, hence the problem. I use Facebook and have some info on it, but just because I visited a website I always visit doesn't mean I want my actions on that website shared with everyone who can see my profile.

    2. Re:I don't use these services... by nacturation · · Score: 3, Informative

      Why would one go publishing info about themselves that they didn't want out there?

      Beacon was opt-out only. If you were logged in to Facebook at the same time you visited a third party site, that third party site could publish a story 'PyroMosh purchased the Deluxe 12" Ass-Ramming Dildo from Anal Enterprises' without having to ask your permission. Oh sure, you could opt-out after the fact, but only for each individual third party once they had published to your profile.

      --
      Want to improve your Karma? Instead of "Post Anonymously", try the "Post Humously" option.
    3. Re:I don't use these services... by Eskarel · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The thing is that there's a middle area between publishing nothing about yourself and publishing everything about yourself. Beacon sort of pushed a little too close to everything for some people. I use facebook to keep in touch with my friends overseas, it's useful for that purpose, and I will message them or write on their walls or whatever I deem appropriate whatever information I want to share with them. The key here is "I WANT". There are things I'm happy to publish, there are things I don't want to publish. I'm happy to announce to my friends(and pretty much everyone on my facebook is actually a real friend because I don't give a crap about friend counts IRL or on facebook) some of the events in my life I want to share with them. I don't really need them to know exactly what I bought from that on-line retailer or what I've just done in a video game. Aside from it being none of their business, I don't care what other people are doing and so I don't believe they should care what I'm doing.

      Just because some idiots share every second of their lives on facebook, or myspace or twitter or their blog or whatever doesn't mean that everyone who uses those services does.

  3. YOU ALL OWE ME $1000 by Mr.+Freeman · · Score: 4, Funny

    If you read this post, you owe me me $1000. By doing nothing you agree to pay this money, in full, within 1 (one) business week. You must opt out of this by filling out a ream of paperwork which I will not provide you if you wish to avoid paying this money. If I do not receive this money in a timely manner, further legal action will be taken.

    Sincerely,
    Mr. Freeman.

    --
    -1 disagree is not a modifier for a reason. -1 troll, flaimbait, redundant, overrated are NOT acceptable substitutes.
  4. Re:If I knew there was settlement money involved, by Trepidity · · Score: 3, Informative

    It doesn't look like there's any settlement money for normal Facebook users.

    The settlement provides that the $9.5 million will be spent on:

    • (i) setting up a non-profit Privacy Foundation
    • (ii) paying settlement-administration costs
    • (iii) paying plaintiffs' attorneys fees and expenses, plus approximately $2,000 to each of the 19 Representative Plaintiffs who initiated the suit
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    10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
  5. I got this email and it's quite terse. by tonycheese · · Score: 4, Informative

    I honestly, honestly thought it was spam. In fact, I had just marked it as spam before I came over here and read about it.

    Facebook is sending you this notice of a proposed class action settlement that may affect your legal rights as a Facebook member who may have used the Beacon program. This summary notice is being sent to you by Court Order so that you may understand your rights and remedies before the Court considers final approval of the proposed settlement on February 26, 2010.

    This is not an advertisement or attorney solicitation.

    This is not a settlement in which class members file claims to receive compensation. Under the proposed settlement, Facebook will terminate the Beacon program. In addition, Facebook will provide $9.5 million to establish an independent non-profit foundation that will identify and fund projects and initiatives that promote the cause of online privacy, safety, and security.

    For full details on the settlement and further instructions on what to do to opt out of, object to, or otherwise comment upon the proposed settlement, please go to http://www.beaconclasssettlement.com./

    Please do not reply to this email.

    That was the entirety of the email. No signature, no hello, that was it.

  6. I'd have been much more impressed... by trawg · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ..if they'd just given that $9.5 million to the EFF.

  7. How to opt out of the settlement by mantis2009 · · Score: 4, Informative
    To opt out of the settlement:

    10. What If You Want To Exclude yourself (Opt Out) From The Settlement? If you do not want to be legally bound by the settlement, you must exclude yourself by February 1, 2010, or you will not be able to sue, or continue to sue, the Defendants and certain other parties for the claims listed in the Settlement Agreement. To opt out, you must mail (email is not permitted) your original, signed exclusion request to: Facebook Settlement Administrator Exclusion Requests P.O. Box 6177 Novato, CA 94948-6177 Your request for exclusion must contain your name and address, be signed by you, and include the reference “Lane et al. v. Facebook, Inc. et al., Civil Action 5:08-CV-03845-RS.” Your original, signed request for exclusion must be RECEIVED on or before February 1, 2010.