It’s been a solid three weeks since Facebook last graced our blog, but just like the proverbial bad penny, it just can’t stop turning up in the news for all the wrong reasons. There is a worn adage that claims there is no such thing as bad PR, but in Facebook’s case, I’m betting they’d rather stay out of the spotlight for a little longer. During CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s grueling congressional testimony earlier this year, Mr. Zuckerberg assured senators that Facebook users had complete control over who sees their data as well as how you share it. In a recent interview with the NY Times, Facebook has now owned up to previously undisclosed data-sharing relationships with four Chinese manufacturers, including Huawei who is viewed by American intelligence officials as a national security “threat” due to its close ties with the Chinese government.
What this means for you
According to an agreement Facebook entered into with the Federal Trade Commission in 2011, Facebook is not allowed to override a user’s privacy settings without first getting explicit consent. As part of the partnership agreement with these manufacturers – Huawei, Lenovo, Oppo and TC – Facebook granted privileged access to these partners to data collected through Facebook apps installed on their devices, even to the point of overriding the user’s explicit denial of access. Facebook executives have argued that they had adhered to the letter of the 2011 consent decree because the data in question (your data, your friends’ data, and your friends’ friends’ data) never actually leaves the device, and is only used “locally” to power applications and social media platforms. I’m no lawyer, but that sounds like splitting hairs, and as has been amply demonstrated by the Cambridge Analytica debacle (not even 2 months old, mind you!) relying on a partner company to adhere to Facebook’s privacy policies is not guaranteed, nor apparently something they can even enforce, once again demonstrating a clear gap in trustworthiness. Should you continue to use Facebook? As long as you keep your eyes open to the fact that Facebook might not be as transparent as they promise, even in the face of Congressional scrutiny, and more importantly, the watchful eye of journalistic rigor.
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