Facebook Responds to EPIC FTC Timeline Complaint

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Facebook Responds to EPIC FTC Timeline Complaint

Posted by Unknown on Monday January 9, 2012 @01:44AM from the what-was-this-stranger-doing-ten-years-ago dept.

An anonymous reader writes with a snippet from a ZDNet article: "The Electronic Privacy Information Center is unhappy with the way Facebook launched its new Timeline profile. Last month, the privacy organization complained Facebook went too far because it started rolling out the redesign without asking users first. EPIC then followed up with a (four-page letter (PDF) to the Federal Trade Commission asking it to investigate the new feature to insure that it meets with the terms of a November 29th FTC-Facebook settlement. Facebook denies these claims, saying that the Timeline launch has nothing to do with its users' privacy."

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What it has to do with privacy? by DCTech · 2012-01-09 01:44 · Score: 5, Insightful

As far as I can see, the only change is how user profile is displayed. It's a cosmetic change. There is nothing visible that wasn't visible to begin with. The only change is that events and posts are grouped together based on their dates instead of that flat style that was before. But even then the dates were visible, they just weren't grouped together.
1. Re:What it has to do with privacy? by ThunderBird89 · 2012-01-09 01:53 · Score: 4
  
  And if he does? You just have to be smart with what information you enter, and what you do with it, and there, no risk at all.
  Seriously, there's no real reason to hate on Facebook, at the very least, not this time. As for the users, there's no reason to hate on them at all just because they use Facebook.
  
  --
  Hyperbole: I use it liberally!
2. Re:What it has to do with privacy? by OzPeter · 2012-01-09 02:07 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  So you admit that you use Facebook?
  I also use facebook.
  And I also have 2 Macs and 2 Windows PC's on my desk where I run VMs with everything from W98 to 2008 server as well as a couple of variations of linux. I program in a host of languages doing things from websites to industrial control systems to smart phone apps. I use Yahoo messenger, and on occasion use my 3 hotmail accounts. I'll admit that my ICQ profile is probably long gone, and at one stage I did have an AOL account, but moved on to Earthlink.
  So has your little, puny AC head exploded yet?
  
  --
  I am Slashdot. Are you Slashdot as well?
3. Re:What it has to do with privacy? by DCTech · 2012-01-09 02:08 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  On the same subject actually, I really wish Slashdot would remove those flickering social buttons on the posts. It's not even the fact that they're there (which is still somewhat ridiculous, but), it's the fact that they flicker as you move mouse. Makes it really hard to concentrate on actually reading the posts.
4. Re:What it has to do with privacy? by L4t3r4lu5 · 2012-01-09 02:17 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  I have every reason to hate users of Facebook who enter information about me. I may not be on Facebook, but I can still be tagged in a photo, have my name used in a "Check in" style post, have my details entered as an invitation to join Facebook (thereby linking my email address to me, the person who submitted the invitation, any picture I am tagged in without my knowledge etc).
  
  I'm not paranoid, I just dislike the idea of my life being profiled by a private entity without my consent. I'm well aware that store / loyalty cards, CC companies etc do this; I accept that as part of the terms of service. What do I gain from Facebook?
  
  --
  Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
5. Re:What it has to do with privacy? by Nursie · 2012-01-09 02:26 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Adblock Plus - add a rule to block "http://a.fsdn.com/sd/commentshareicons.png"
  Seems to have fixed it for me, they are most annoying and I can't think of a time I have ever wanted to share someone else's slashdot post on social media sites.
6. Re:What it has to do with privacy? by _0xd0ad · 2012-01-09 02:49 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  I went above and beyond and just blocked them everywhere.
  #a(href*=facebook.com/sharer) #a(href*=plusone.google.com/_/+1) #a(href*=twitter.com/intent)
  If that causes problems I might restrict them to slashdot.org. But it probably won't.
Not a Facebook fan, but.. by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-09 01:49 · Score: 4, Interesting

I'm not a Facebook fan at all, but if anything it appears to me that the new timeline and accompanying activity view make it easer to hide, delete and change the audience of individual items.
As a programmer... by Pionar · 2012-01-09 01:53 · Score: 4, Funny

The first thing I noticed in TFS was the unmatched parentheses.
1. Re:As a programmer... by troon · 2012-01-09 02:09 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I'm still waiting for the summary to finish...
  
  --
  Ydco co ,df C erb-y go. a Ekrpat t.fxrapev
Facebook? by bytesex · 2012-01-09 02:04 · Score: 4, Insightful

Facebook is not critical infrastructure (or even near it); users willingly and knowlingly signed up for what amounts to a toy. A toy with commercial motives.

--
Religion is what happens when nature strikes and groupthink goes wrong.
1. Re:Facebook? by Tharsman · 2012-01-09 02:25 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Unfortunately, the way they work, they already have a profile on you even if you dont sign up on their serivce. So many websites add that "useful" Like button, that servers as a tracking trojan, that it's impossible to navigate without being caught and profiled by Facebook. They keep growing a profile on you even if you dont have an account. They'll just tie everything up the day you actually make an account to "check some friend's pictures" or something.
2. Re:Facebook? by Max+Romantschuk · 2012-01-09 02:27 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Facebook is no mere toy. Used properly it is an efficient communications platform. Not perfect by any means, but denying Facebook's strength as a communications platform is really quite ignorant.
  
  --
  .: Max Romantschuk :: http://max.romantschuk.fi/
Re:Remove social buttons from comments? by _0xd0ad · 2012-01-09 02:44 · Score: 4, Informative

Can, and already did. You can too.
Block them everywhere:
#a(href*=facebook.com/sharer) #a(href*=plusone.google.com/_/+1) #a(href*=twitter.com/intent)
or just on Slashdot:
slashdot.org#a(href*=facebook.com/sharer) slashdot.org#a(href*=plusone.google.com/_/+1) slashdot.org#a(href*=twitter.com/intent)
Bonus filters, no additional charge:
#a(href*=goat.) #a(href*=goatse.) slashdot.org#a(href*=/boredgeek) slashdot.org#a(href*=/geekatwork) slashdot.org#a(href*=/goo.gl/) slashdot.org#a(href*=/is.gd/)