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Why this is shocking, or even news? When you create and use a Facebook account (or when a shadow profile is created for you), Facebook has (and has always had)

by arbie 8y ago

Why this is shocking, or even news? When you create and use a Facebook account (or when a shadow profile is created for you), Facebook has (and has always had) the right to share anything and everything you publish on their platform with anyone they have a legal responsibility to (e.g., law enforcement) or commercial agreement with (e.g., advertisers). All Facebook content is essentially public and should be treated as such.

PostOnce 8y ago
We (society) made the rules, and we can change them. We have the power to make laws dictating how Facebook can use the data, regardless of what the contract says, regardless of their current "obligations", and regardless of how "public" this data might be. We made new laws about medical data -- we can make news laws about social data. That's what these stories are about -- things we can think about when drafting this new legislation, or interpreting old legislation. Our system of laws is not set in stone, we can update it, and we will--for better or worse.
- spookthesunset 8y ago
  Why does the law need to change for this? Facebook should disclose what they do with your data, and that is about it. At that point, it is really up to you to decide if you want to play ball...
  - huntermeyer 8y ago
    I completely agree. I don't think there's any need for legislation. I think people should just realize the simple adage, "if a product is free, you're the product" or whatever. Our society needs to wise up.
  - PostOnce 8y ago
    So Facebook gets to make the rules? The law changes whenever we feel like it should, that's how democracy works. You say why should the laws change and why shouldn't we individually decide whether or not to play ball? For one thing, Facebook creates profiles of people who don't have accounts, but for another, and more importantly: Why should companies not be able to dump toxins in rivers? It's up to us whether we want to buy from that company and contribute to pollution -- or we could start up an EPA... which we did. Same deal with Facebook, sort of. Society can make whatever rules it wants, the only natural law is chaos, and of it we make order.
    - matz1 8y ago
      Yes you should fight to change the law if you don't like it and likewise I do not think the law need to be changed nor the more regulation is needed so I will fight it too. In this case the harm (if any) that fb make is not substantial enough for me to care.
spookthesunset 8y ago
Dunno why this is getting downvotes--you are absolutely right. You echo my thoughts after reading this. Folks, why is this a surprise at all? Don't post stuff on Facebook you don't want public.

by arbie 8y ago

PostOnce 8y ago

We (society) made the rules, and we can change them. We have the power to make laws dictating how Facebook can use the data, regardless of what the contract says, regardless of their current "obligations", and regardless of how "public" this data might be. We made new laws about medical data -- we can make news laws about social data. That's what these stories are about -- things we can think about when drafting this new legislation, or interpreting old legislation. Our system of laws is not set in stone, we can update it, and we will--for better or worse.

spookthesunset 8y ago
Why does the law need to change for this? Facebook should disclose what they do with your data, and that is about it. At that point, it is really up to you to decide if you want to play ball...
- huntermeyer 8y ago
  I completely agree. I don't think there's any need for legislation. I think people should just realize the simple adage, "if a product is free, you're the product" or whatever. Our society needs to wise up.
- PostOnce 8y ago
  So Facebook gets to make the rules? The law changes whenever we feel like it should, that's how democracy works. You say why should the laws change and why shouldn't we individually decide whether or not to play ball? For one thing, Facebook creates profiles of people who don't have accounts, but for another, and more importantly: Why should companies not be able to dump toxins in rivers? It's up to us whether we want to buy from that company and contribute to pollution -- or we could start up an EPA... which we did. Same deal with Facebook, sort of. Society can make whatever rules it wants, the only natural law is chaos, and of it we make order.
  - matz1 8y ago
    Yes you should fight to change the law if you don't like it and likewise I do not think the law need to be changed nor the more regulation is needed so I will fight it too. In this case the harm (if any) that fb make is not substantial enough for me to care.

spookthesunset 8y ago

Dunno why this is getting downvotes--you are absolutely right. You echo my thoughts after reading this. Folks, why is this a surprise at all? Don't post stuff on Facebook you don't want public.