facebook Facebook Bans Devs From Creating Surveillance Tools With User Data

[vissha]

Facebook Bans Devs From Creating Surveillance Tools With User Data

 

 

Without a hint of irony, Facebook has told developers that they may not use data from Instagram and Facebook in surveillance tools.

 

The social network says that the practice has long been a contravention of its policies, but it is now tidying up and clarifying the wording of its developer policies. American Civil Liberties Union, Color of Change and the Center for Media Justice put pressure on Facebook after it transpired that data from users' feeds was being gathered and sold on to law enforcement agencies.

 

The re-written developer policy now explicitly states that developers are not allowed to "use data obtained from us to provide tools that are used for surveillance." It remains to be seen just how much of a difference this will make to the gathering and use of data, and there is nothing to say that Facebook's own developers will not continue to engage in the same practices.

 

Deputy chief privacy officer at Facebook, Rob Sherman, says:

 

Quote

Our goal is to make our policy explicit. Over the past several months we have taken enforcement action against developers who created and marketed tools meant for surveillance, in violation of our existing policies; we want to be sure everyone understands the underlying policy and how to comply.

 

Transparency reports published by Facebook show that the company has complied with government requests for data. The secrecy such requests and dealings are shrouded in means that there is no way of knowing whether Facebook is engaged in precisely the sort of activity it is banning others from performing.

 

Source

[CrAKeN]

 

Facebook makes some policy changes

 

Facebook is perfectly aware of the fear people have in regards to how it handles user data so it wants to make it clear that it does not condone surveillance of any kind. 

 

In a post published earlier today, Facebook's deputy chief privacy officer, Rob Sherman, wants everyone to know that it plans to protect users. "We are committed to building a community where people can feel safe making their voices heard," he starts.

 

Sherman goes on to explain that Facebook's approach involves making careful decisions every day about how the social network uses and protects data, but also about how the Facebook platform is used by third parties.

 

"Today we are adding language to our Facebook and Instagram platform policies to more clearly explain that developers cannot 'use data obtained from us to provide tools that are used for surveillance.' Our goal is to make our policy explicit," Sherman

 

Months in the works

It seems that over the past several months, Facebook has already taken action against developers who created a marketed tools meant for user surveillance, which is in violation of the company policies.

 

Another change they've made was to ban ads promoting payday loans and prohibiting companies from using Facebook data to make decisions about whether to approve or reject a loan application.

 

The company has worked alongside the American Civil Liberties Union, Color of Change and the Center for Media Justice to better write the update.

 

“When technology companies allow their platforms and devices to be used to conduct mass surveillance of activists and other targeted communities, it chills democratic dissent and gives authoritarianism a license to thrive," said Malkia Cyril, Executive Director of Center for Media Justice Executive, praising Facebook for its decision.

 

Facebook hopes they'll manage to lead by example, using its policies to support the community, while also encouraging other companies to take positive steps in the same direction.

 

Source

[Batu69]

Topic moved from Technology News forum & merged.

[mikie]

Law enforcement needs to learn how to search facebook for criminals all by themselves.