Facebook has not been doing enough to comply with a 2020 privacy order: FTC (arstechnica.com)

Article summary

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed changes to a 2020 privacy order, alleging that Facebook has not done enough to comply with the order and has caused new harm, particularly with its Messenger Kids product. The proposed changes would prohibit Facebook from launching new products without written FTC compliance confirmation and prevent the company from monetizing youth data. Facebook has 30 days to respond to the allegations. The FTC's actions are seen as a response to Facebook's repeated violations of its privacy promises.

Main themes

• Facebook privacy violations
• FTC regulation
• tech industry accountability
• data monetization
• social media impact on society
• corporate responsibility

What commenters say

• Regulating Facebook is a positive step for society, as the company's actions have been harmful to users.
• Facebook's early days as a limited network for college students were beneficial, but the company has since become harmful to society.
• The FTC's actions may be motivated by lobbying from competitors, but this does not necessarily invalidate the proposed changes.
• Allowing companies like Facebook to self-regulate is not sufficient, and government intervention is necessary to protect users.
• The issue of data monetization is not unique to Facebook and should be addressed across the tech industry.
• Some argue that Facebook was never beneficial to society, even in its early days, due to its origins and business model.
• Others believe that the FTC's actions are a form of overreach and that companies should be allowed to operate with less regulation.
• There is a need for a balance between regulating companies like Facebook and allowing them to innovate and provide beneficial services.