Facebook To Fight Belgian Ban On Tracking Users (And Even Non-Users) (bloomberg.com)

Last year, a Belgian court ruled that Facebook would have to stop tracking Belgian internet users and delete the data it's already gathered on them, or face fines of about $280,000 a day. "Belgium's data-protection regulators have targeted the company since at least 2015 when a court ordered it to stop storing non-users' personal data," Mercury News reported at the time. Facebook is now fighting the Belgian court's decision, and will go "face to face with the Belgian data protection authority in a Brussels appeals court for a two-day hearing starting on Wednesday," reports Bloomberg. From the report: Armed with new powers since the introduction of stronger European Union data protection rules, Belgium's privacy watchdog argues Facebook "still violates the fundamental rights of millions of residents of Belgium." The Brussels Court of First Instance in February 2018 ruled that Facebook doesn't provide people with enough information about how and why it collects data on their web use, or what it does with the information. "Facebook then uses that information to profile your surfing behavior and uses that profile to show you targeted advertising, such as advertising about products and services from commercial companies, messages from political parties, etc," the Belgian regulator said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.

Belgium's data protection authority last year won the court's backing for its attack against Facebook's use of cookies, social plug-ins -- the "like" or "share" buttons -- and tracking technologies that are invisible to the naked eye to collect data on people's behavior during their visits to other sites. Facebook understands "that people want more information and control over the data Facebook receives from other websites and apps that use our services," the company said in a statement. "That's why we are developing Clear History, that will let you to see the websites and apps that send us information when you use them, disconnect this information from your account, and turn off our ability to store it associated with your account going forward," it said. "We have also made a number of changes to help people understand how our tools work and explain the choices they have, including through our privacy updates."

Comments

*Even* non-users?

[ChatHuant]

and even non-users

I'd say there is a certain justification for Facebook to track users - those are, after all, people who have intentionally created an account (even though they may not have been aware of the hidden tracking), and who are using the resources Facebook provides. However, tracking non-users doesn't even have this weak excuse, and should be an absolute no-no. The same is true for Google and all other data vampires.

Re:*Even* non-users?

[93 Escort Wagon]

Zuckerberg sat in front of Congress last year and told them Facebook didn't use shadow profiles of non-users. It's funny that the company has been previously fighting Belgium over a practice they claim they don't use.

Under many circumstances I am usually one to trot out the old saw "don't attribute to malice ...", but frankly I consider Facebook to be fundamentally malicious - and Zuckerberg to be fundamentally an evil person. I don't know how anyone who works for Facebook can live with themselves knowing that the world would be better off without them doing their job.

Re:*Even* non-users?

[AmiMoJo]

Tracking non-users is illegal in the EU, under the GDPR. Anything like that has to be opt-in.

Re:*Even* non-users?

[jriding]

Actually if this is a law in that country, it doesn't matter if facebook has people sign up and that is what they agree to. When did breaking the law for large companies and wealthy people become ok since contracts and stuff.
WTF people. If a country decides that it is wrong and is no longer legal then it is illegal. No matter if the person or company really want it to be legal.

Facebook is a stalker

[ffkom]

and on a very large scale. I don't see why they should be treated different from creeps following people around, peeking through windows to see what they do. And while most stalkers do such things just for their personal satisfaction, Facebook does it also for money - selling the results of their stalking to others. Disgusting.

How else can FB steal your metadata?

[WillAffleckUW]

What's next, not letting them keep interfacing with your cell location after you left the FB app??

Re:Dear Zuckerfuck the Douchebag ...

[Ol Olsoc]

Dear Zuckerfuck:

I don't use your fucking service. And yet, half of the sites I visit have your shit embedded in it for you to track me.

I haven't given you consent to track me, and I'm not signing up for an account to find out what you have and disable it.

I have Facebook.com and a few other related domains blocked in my hosts file.

It works. APK is not completely wrong.

Hopefully you use a script blocker as well. Facebook tries to hide their tracking servers, so you have to do a little research to find out which ones are FB's. Or just block all scripts.

Re:More EU nation laws and control

[bungo]

People did not want EU service and products. They went with the US product that offered what they wanted for free.

Fine. I agree. The facebook users wanted something for free and they paid for it with their personal data.

But, I don't use Facebook. Why should they be able to collect data on me?

Please explain.

Right, since there's no defence against them tracking me, then I want my government to stop them from doing it. MY rights are being violated, not Facebooks.