Create your Benton.org account today. Registration is quick and easy. Creating an account gives you access to special features, click to learn more.
Facebook Retreats on Online Tracking
Last updated: February 21, 2008 - 9:52am
FACEBOOK RETREATS ON ONLINE TRACKING
[SOURCE: New York Times, AUTHOR: Louise Story and Brad Stone]
Faced with its second mass protest by members in its short life span, Facebook, the social networking Web site, is reining in some aspects of a controversial new advertising program. Within the last 10 days, more than 50,000 Facebook members have signed a petition objecting to the new program, which sends messages to users’ friends about what they are buying on Web sites. The members want to be able to opt out of the program completely with one click, but Facebook won't let them. Late yesterday the company made an important change, saying that it would not send messages about users’ Internet activities without getting explicit approval each time. MoveOn.org Civic Action, the political group that set up the online petition, said the move was a positive one.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/30/technology/30face.html?ref=todayspaper
(requires registration)
* Feeling Betrayed, Facebook Users Force Site to Honor Their Privacy
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/29/AR200711...
(requires registration)
* Facebook adds safeguards on purchase data
http://www.latimes.com/business/printedition/la-fi-facebook30nov30,1,374...
* Facebook alters notifications after privacy furor
http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSN2925736120071130

