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Privacy Lawyers Sell Out Facebook Users for $10 Million

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Re: Privacy Lawyers Sell Out Facebook Users for $10 Million

#2
This is obviously very troubling for Facebook, considering that Sponsored Stories appear to be their main effort to monetize mobile.

It's especially troubling because this is yet another breach of privacy on their part. People liking pages or apps don't expect to be spokespeople for these companies, so showing my name next to an advertisement is disingenuous. It's made even worse that this is opt-out, and my name is displayed on sites other than Facebook[1].

There is going to be hundreds of millions of people who will never even know that they're recommending products to people, and that's bad.

1. http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/22/3110645/facebook-ads-on-zy...

Re: Privacy Lawyers Sell Out Facebook Users for $10 Million

#5
Should also be mentioned this was a class action lawsuit.

I've observed that class action lawsuits usually benefit the defendant greatly in that the nature of class action suits is that they deprive any persons with standing from all future legal actions on a matter. Sometimes they get nothing as part of a settlement, other parts they receive some token coupon that usually has restrictions to make it useless. In no case is the opinion of the members of the class taken into consideration, nor do they have any right to object to settlements, nor are they normally informed of the settlement until after it has taken place.

In effect, it's a similar protection scheme to how Congress passed a law banning the filing of lawsuits against BP in return for them paying a fine for oil spillage that is vastly below the cost of fixing the damage.

Many actions that are labelled as "settlements" or "fines" are actually bribes paid to the legal system in return for total immunity from future lawsuits.

Re: Privacy Lawyers Sell Out Facebook Users for $10 Million

#6
post #4

I don't see exactly how this is a violation of privacy, since the same friends that see your advertisements can go to your About page and get that same information from your list of likes.

There is no privacy violation here. This is simply people looking for reasons to hate facebook grasping at straws. They're using your like to remind your friends that you like this particular company who is doing an advertisement. Seems like a tasteful bit of social proof if you ask me. I'm honestly surprised facebook lost this case. They need a fresh set of lawyers.

Re: Privacy Lawyers Sell Out Facebook Users for $10 Million

#7
post #4

I don't see exactly how this is a violation of privacy, since the same friends that see your advertisements can go to your About page and get that same information from your list of likes.

The violation of privacy is Facebook reserving the right to use your photo on ads served on sites other than Facebook. Inside of Facebook, it's just creepy.

Re: Privacy Lawyers Sell Out Facebook Users for $10 Million

#8

Should also be mentioned this was a class action lawsuit. I've observed that class action lawsuits usually benefit the defendant greatly in that the nature of class action suits is that they deprive any persons with standing from all future legal actions on a matter. Sometimes they get nothing as part of a settlement, other parts they receive some token coupon that usually has restrictions to make it useless. In no c…

Yes, the fact that class actions are generally opt-out rather than opt-in is a clear indicator which way the benefits really flow.

Re: Privacy Lawyers Sell Out Facebook Users for $10 Million

#9
post #4

I don't see exactly how this is a violation of privacy, since the same friends that see your advertisements can go to your About page and get that same information from your list of likes.

Just a guess... Maybe because you have an option to turn that off and this you could not.

Re: Privacy Lawyers Sell Out Facebook Users for $10 Million

#10
This might turn out to be a good way to get free advertising on FaceBook:

1) Register FB account [name]_[company name], with your company's logo, product feature or offer as your profile pic. You'll probably need a bunch of friends for this to work, real or fake.

2) Like every other company in existence, or at least the ones spending money on these sponsored ads.

3) Have your free ads displayed all over FB, sponsored by the company you liked.

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