Dougie Hunt

Online Rights part two: Social Media stalkers

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⭐ Updated 28 January 2024

💥 Published 28 January 2024

Online Rights part two: Social Media stalkers

Ever checked yourself in on Facebook? Maybe enjoying a #cheekynandos with the lads or out for the day with family and friends? In those instances, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to know that Facebook knows where you are… after all, you told it.

But, it turns out that Facebook knows where you are going even when you have not told it. in fact, it does it so much that a Belgian privacy watchdog has said the social network ‘tramples’ on European privacy law.

Belgium’s Privacy Protection Commission has said that Facebook is dodging questions from the European regulators. Users of Facebook are tracked, even though some of them may have turned tracking off. The PPC has now even suggested that users who are concerned install privacy software.

The damning report and statement continues with the assertion that Facebook is insistent on only following laws in the country its headquarters is in, Ireland, and not the rest of Europe. There have also been accusations that the social network will not be clear about where the data they collect goes.

Facebook has insisted that it complies with all privacy laws and has questioned the authority of the Belgian watchdog. The company did say that they would review the report in line with the Irish data protection officer.

A spokesman for Facebook said: “We work hard to make sure people have control over what they share and with whom.

“Facebook is already regulated in Europe and complies with European data protection law, so the applicability of the [commission’s] efforts is unclear.”

Earlier this year, another report by the same watchdog said that the social network put too much of a burden on its users to navigate its complex settings.

Do Facebook’s features concern you? Would you use the product today if it was new on the market with the same level of tracking and privacy settings?

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