Everyone else in the world might be pleased as punch over some sort of perceived victory as Facebook announced changes to its privacy controls available to users but it seems that Canada’s Privacy Commissioner isn’t so happy.
This isn’t the first time that Facebook has come up against Canada’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner as back during last years investigation into Facebook’s privacy faux pas the companywas forced into making some ground breaking changes. Under the terms of the settlement Facebook agreed to comply with Canada’s privacy laws thereby by giving Canadians full control over how their data was to be shared.
Facebook did indeed fine tune the privacy settings in response to the probe and the regulator gave Facebook until August to introduce other protections. However within hours of Zuckerberg’s announcement today of coming changes Ms Elizabeth Denham, the Assistant Privacy Commissioner, said that while Facebook may have dialed it back the Privacy Commissioner didn’t feel that it was enough … “we don’t think users are comfortable.”
She said Facebook’s new settings continue to require users to publicly reveal their names, profile information, pictures, gender and networks to the broader Internet. Under Canadian law companies are bound to give consumers full control over how their personal data is used.
Another issue is Facebook’s recent move to allow outside software developers to cull users personal data and track their Internet movements. Facebook had committed last year to give members the ability to block such Internet trespassing by August.
“We are still waiting for Facebook to honour all of its commitments. I am disappointed in the direction they have taken,” Ms. Denham said.
Source: Globe and Mail
Somehow I don’t think this confrontation with our Privacy Commissioner is over yet – not by a long shot.
