Amidst User Feedback, Facebook Delays Privacy Policy Update
Years ago, privacy never stuck me as being a truly hot topic online, and if there's a reason for that, it's likely because many of us didn't realize the extent that some companies go to, to make it almost nonexistent. As has been proven time and time again, your privacy online is almost nil if you make use of any social networking site, but that doesn't mean that these companies automatically earn the right to assume that you simply don't care.
Facebook is a great example of a company, that like Google (as we talked about earlier), loves nothing more than putting the data it has on you to good use. In a recent proposed privacy policy update, the company even went as far to say that it has the right to use your profile photo, name and "content" for the sake of advertising. Purchase a new notebook on Amazon and share info of it on your Facebook feed? That's effectively enough to give Facebook the ability to throw an ad to the side with your photo, effectively advertising the notebook with your unrequested help.
Sheesh - this is getting silly. Thankfully, Facebook has listened to user cries and has delayed the deployment of this policy update. Hopefully, the company will wind up chopping that particular ability from the list, as it's simply ridicuous to imagine that a company could advertise a product on your behalf, without your consent or even knowledge. It's worth noting, though, that this mechanic has already existed to some extent. In an absolutely hilarious incident last year, one user found themself advertising a 55 gallon drum of lubricant on the side of his friend's Facebook feeds. Here, though, Facebook wasn't behind the ad, but rather Amazon, by some sort of automation.
Imagine explaining that one to your family.