Facebook settles with FTC on privacy charges

The Federal Trade Commission has accepted a settlement with Facebook over charges that the social network deceived consumers by telling them they could keep their information online private, then repeatedly allowing it to be made public.
 
As part of the settlement, first announced last November, Facebook will be required to take multiple steps in order to ensure that it keeps its promises, including giving users prominent notice and obtaining their express consent before sharing their information in a manner that exceeds the users’ privacy settings. In addition, Facebook must maintain a comprehensive privacy program to protect users’ information and obtain biennial privacy audits from a third party.
 

The settlement is the second in as many days. Yesterday, the FTC accepted a settlement from Google for $22.5 million over charges that the search leader misinformed users of Apple’s Safari browser how cookies used by Google Plus, the company’s social network, affected users’ privacy.
 
"We are pleased that the settlement, which was announced last November, has received final approval,” said a Facebook spokesman in an emailed statement to The Hill.

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