The New Facebook Ads - Another Privacy Debacle?

by mtippett | November 9, 2007 at 05:18 pm
378 views | 10 Recommendations | 3 comments
"Facebook recently announced a new advertising scheme called 'Social Ads.' Instead of using celebrities to hawk products, it will use pictures of Facebook users. Facebook might be entering into another privacy debacle.
The site assumes that if people rate products highly or write good
things about a product then they consent to being used in an
advertisement for it. Facebook doesn't understand that privacy amounts
to much more than keeping secrets — it involves controlling
accessibility to personal data. 'The use of a person's name or image in
an advertisement without that person's consent might constitute a
violation of the appropriation of name or likeness tort. According to
the Restatement (Second) of Torts 652C: "One who appropriates to his
own use or benefit the name or likeness of another is subject to
liability to the other for invasion of his privacy.
"
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ppeggy
ppeggy
flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 19:34 on November 9th, 2007

The issue of personal privacy is huge.  And it seems that the Facebook advertising scheme is another example of the pervasive chipping away that is occurring because of Internet access.  We all need to be on our guard.  We all need to be activists in safeguarding personal privacy.  Thanks for the highlight M. Tippett.  It's an important one.

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Jordan Yerman

This move was broadly signposted as Facebook gained popularity during the past year... that bit in the TOS where they tell the users, upon signup, that all uploaded material becomes property of Facebook... that's why I don't upload any images of real value.

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Jordan Yerman

An interesting analysis from the Register folks.

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