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Facebook Hit By German Antitrust Probe Over User Data (cnet.com)

Posted by yaelk on from the is-facebook-overstepping-the-boundary dept.

Regulators in Germany wonder whether the social network may be abusing market power by not being clear with consumers about how its using their data. Privacy advocates have argued that Facebook, along with a handful of other companies, is leveraging its dominance as a social network to harvest personal information, effectively trampling on privacy laws. The German probe, announced today, will investigate the violation of data protection provisions.

2 of 43 comments (clear)

  1. Obvious? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Facebook is "harvesting" user data? Isn't that the #1 most obvious point when signing up to Facebook in the first place? Which idiot in the world doesn't know this already?

  2. Hostage by neghvar1 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Considering whats going on with Facebook in Germany and Brazil, if I was the CEO, I'd say release our execs (Brazil) and cease your draconian regulations (Germany) or we will block all access to Facebook from your country. When your citizens try to access Facebook, they will be redirected to a site stating to contact your government to release our execs and cease their draconian regulation or you will never see Facebook again.