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EPIC Files FTC Complaint Over Facebook's New Privacy Policy

Posted by timothy on from the epic-complaint-totally dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) today filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, asking the agency to investigate the recent changes made by Facebook to the privacy settings of Facebook users. The complaint discusses the sharing of user information with third-party developers and the new, widely-opposed 'Everyone' setting, which allows certain user information, such as name, profile picture, and friends lists, to be publicly available. EPIC also urges the FTC to compel Facebook to restore privacy safeguards. The complaint was signed by nine privacy and consumer organizations."

5 of 103 comments (clear)

  1. Facebook has never been private by betterunixthanunix · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They just maintain an illusion of privacy, that's all.

    --
    Palm trees and 8
  2. Prediction by whisper_jeff · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Prediction: In response to these new privacy concerns, Facebook will change their privacy policy, tightening up security over the information people are concerned about. At the same time, they will loosen security over other information, starting a new wave of complaints.

    Let's be real - this is, what, the fourth or fifth time this sort of thing has happened and every time it does, Facebook changes their policy by tightening "here" while loosening "there". This will be no different.

  3. aw man! by shadowrat · · Score: 4, Funny

    i was going to release my site, ssnbook.com, where users could enter and exchange thier social security numbers. Now i'm worried someone to will file a complaint with the FTC against me :(

    1. Re:aw man! by commodoresloat · · Score: 4, Funny

      I was trying to do the same sort of thing with assbook.com where users can exchange photos of their asses. I'm guessing the FTC won't give a shit.

  4. Re:Decisions, decisions. by El+Gigante+de+Justic · · Score: 4, Informative

    The point is that you CAN'T change your privacy settings back to how they were.
    For example, you can no longer have your Profile Pic show up for friends only, and you can't hide your friends list from non-friends anymore either, along with a few other items on the profile page.

    Adding new privacy settings is good - eliminating existing privacy features is not.