Facebook has settled a privacy complaint with the FTC, according to a release from the agency on Tuesday morning.
The 8-count complaint posted by the FTC blatantly calls Facebook’s privacy policy and practices “unfair and deceptive,” saying that Facebook’s user privacy controls (or privacy settings) gave the impression that a user could restrict their information to “Friends” or “Friends of Friends,” when in fact, third-party applications could still access their information.
In addition, the complaint document blasts the world’s largest social network for sharing identifying user information with advertisers even when Facebook claimed it wasn’t, and for allowing access to deactivated user photos and videos.
In response, the FTC has ordered Facebook (and Facebook has tentatively agreed) to undergo independent privacy audits every two years for the next 20 years. The FTC also notes that the settlement requires Facebook to obtain users’ “affirmative express consent,” i.e. opt-in, not opt-out, before making any privacy changes.
Facebook is additionally required to make a user’s information unavailable within 30 days of deactivating an account and to establish a “comprehensive privacy program” within the company.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckeberg wasted no time in posting his lengthy response to the settlement, claiming that although Facebook has made “a bunch of mistakes,” he’s “committed to making Facebook the leader in transparency and control around privacy.” As such, Zuckeberg also announced the creation of two new positions: Chief Privacy Officer of Products, filled by Michael Richter, and Chief Privacy Officer of Policy, filled by Erin Egan.
