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Facebook could be breaking EU law by using shadow data for ads

79 points by johnshades 8y ago

antonkm 8y ago
That they don't share shadow data on request is already breaking the GDPR. Even if they would get some lawyerish twist on it, sometimes grey scales isn't needed. Just give me my effing data - if you have it you have it. It's a bit of FB meta-theme on HN right now, and I wrote something similar before in another comment, but I really wish we could have some whistleblowing considering the shadow data.
debacle 8y ago
Assuming we're at step $n on the path to corporatist dystopia, does Facebook care? Do they bait the EU into playing chicken with some sort of Facebook ban? There's a non-negligible chance Facebook might win that one.
- 394549 8y ago
  > Assuming we're at step $n on the path to corporatist dystopia, does Facebook care? Do they bait the EU into playing chicken with some sort of Facebook ban? There's a non-negligible chance Facebook might win that one. Why go through the trouble and scandal of banning it? Just bleed it dry with fines until it complies and/or ban its European revenue streams. The latter might be quite effective and immune from political blow-back: Facebook users don't care for ads and would not shed a tear if Facebook was banned from selling them in Europe due to its noncompliance, however literally the only thing Facebook itself cares about are ads and the associated revenue.
throwawaymanbot 8y ago
Could be???? lulz...
s73v3r_ 8y ago
If they're doing something this blatantly in violation, then I hope the EU comes down hard on them.
thecupisblue 8y ago
Interesting. I'll hit up some contacts and send them this, this is a blatant disregard of GDPR.
anonymfus 8y ago
GDPR is not enough because violations are so hard to prove. There should be a law forcing companies to publish a full list of ads they show together with all targeting settings and data.
Aunche 8y ago
Does GDPR stop Facebook from re-purposing the phone numbers that they already collect? It seems to me that everything is GDPR compliant, even if it's a scummy thing to do.
- mamon 8y ago
  GDPR requires you to state the reason why you collect the data. Re-purposing it requires you to obtain updated consent from the user.
- tivert 8y ago
  > Does GDPR stop Facebook from re-purposing the phone numbers that they already collect? It seems to me that everything is GDPR compliant, even if it's a scummy thing to do. I'm pretty sure it does. My GDPR training was very clear that we couldn't pre-populate a marketing email list with emails previously collected for another purpose, and this seems like the same scenario.
parliament32 8y ago
I hope the EU comes after them for this. Using data collected for a completely separate purpose (ie 2fa) for advertising is blatantly evil. Not to mention this "shadow data" isn't request-able, and probably not deletable.

79 points by johnshades 8y ago

That they don't share shadow data on request is already breaking the GDPR. Even if they would get some lawyerish twist on it, sometimes grey scales isn't needed. Just give me my effing data - if you have it you have it. It's a bit of FB meta-theme on HN right now, and I wrote something similar before in another comment, but I really wish we could have some whistleblowing considering the shadow data.

debacle 8y ago

Assuming we're at step $n on the path to corporatist dystopia, does Facebook care? Do they bait the EU into playing chicken with some sort of Facebook ban? There's a non-negligible chance Facebook might win that one.

394549 8y ago
> Assuming we're at step $n on the path to corporatist dystopia, does Facebook care? Do they bait the EU into playing chicken with some sort of Facebook ban? There's a non-negligible chance Facebook might win that one. Why go through the trouble and scandal of banning it? Just bleed it dry with fines until it complies and/or ban its European revenue streams. The latter might be quite effective and immune from political blow-back: Facebook users don't care for ads and would not shed a tear if Facebook was banned from selling them in Europe due to its noncompliance, however literally the only thing Facebook itself cares about are ads and the associated revenue.

throwawaymanbot 8y ago

Could be???? lulz...

s73v3r_ 8y ago

If they're doing something this blatantly in violation, then I hope the EU comes down hard on them.

thecupisblue 8y ago

Interesting. I'll hit up some contacts and send them this, this is a blatant disregard of GDPR.

anonymfus 8y ago

GDPR is not enough because violations are so hard to prove. There should be a law forcing companies to publish a full list of ads they show together with all targeting settings and data.

Aunche 8y ago

Does GDPR stop Facebook from re-purposing the phone numbers that they already collect? It seems to me that everything is GDPR compliant, even if it's a scummy thing to do.

mamon 8y ago
GDPR requires you to state the reason why you collect the data. Re-purposing it requires you to obtain updated consent from the user.
tivert 8y ago
> Does GDPR stop Facebook from re-purposing the phone numbers that they already collect? It seems to me that everything is GDPR compliant, even if it's a scummy thing to do. I'm pretty sure it does. My GDPR training was very clear that we couldn't pre-populate a marketing email list with emails previously collected for another purpose, and this seems like the same scenario.

parliament32 8y ago

I hope the EU comes after them for this. Using data collected for a completely separate purpose (ie 2fa) for advertising is blatantly evil. Not to mention this "shadow data" isn't request-able, and probably not deletable.