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

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.

Comments

Silly

[dontPanik]

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.

YOU ALL OWE ME $1000

[Mr. Freeman]

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.

I got this email and it's quite terse.

[tonycheese]

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.

I'd have been much more impressed...

[trawg]

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

How to opt out of the settlement

[mantis2009]

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.

Re:I don't use these services...

[Eskarel]

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.