CyberLaw Blog

Archive for the ‘Facebook’ Category

Rejected From College Because Of Your Facebook Profile?: “We’ve all seen the stories about potential dates or employers scanning your social network profiles to decide what they think of you, but what about your potential university? Slashdot points us to a study suggesting that 10% of universities now examine social network profiles as part of their efforts to evaluate applicants. And, in some of those cases, the profiles hurt candidates to the point of having admissions directors change their minds. Other universities claim that they don’t think it’s right to view such ‘personal’ spaces, but you have to wonder if that view will change over time. Personally, I don’t see anything wrong with universities doing this. They’re used to just seeing a carefully controlled image of the student, and what’s on their social networking sites may reveal a lot more useful info. However, it seems like students should at least be aware that this public display of information is being added to their ‘permanent record’ for consideration at universities.

(Via Techdirt.)

Facebook libel case damages won: “A businessman wins £22,000 in libel and breach of privacy after his personal details were printed on the Facebook website.”

See also the Times coverage.

(Via BBC News.)

Facebook faker ordered to pay thousands in libel damages: “

Grudge judged

The High Court has today ordered a man who concocted a Facebook account to attack a former school friend to pay £22,000 in damages.…

“

(Via The Register - Public Sector.)

Staff internet policies must be Facebook-ready, warns expert: “Dealing with staff who misbehave on the web may be hampered by office policies written without Web 2.0 sites in mind, an employment expert has said. The warning follows disciplinary action against 18 police officers who boasted about crashes on Facebook.”

(Via OUT-LAW News.)

Facebook profiles need shielding from media intrusion, say users: “Nine in ten web users want guidelines on what information the media can use from social networking sites and 78% would change the information they publish about themselves online if they thought it would later be reproduced in the mainstream media.”

(Via OUT-LAW News.)

Survey: Facebook information should be regulated.

Canada Investigates Facebook’s Alleged Privacy Violations: “Canada’s federal privacy commissioner begins an investigation into Facebook after four students complain that it violates Canadian law by disclosing personal information to advertisers without proper consent.

(Via Wired News.)

Facebook ‘violates privacy laws’: “Social networking site Facebook is accused of 22 counts of privacy breaches by a Canadian group.”

A copy of the complaint is available here.

(Via BBC News.)

EU - ENISA asks for new legislation on social networking sites: “(IDG)
Europe’s top Internet security agency, ENISA, called for new legislation to police social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. ‘Social networking sites are very useful social tools but we must make recommendations for how to better protect people from the risks these sites create,’ said Andreas Pirotti, executive director of ENISA (European Network and Information Security Agency). He suggested that EU legislation be expanded ‘to cover the taking of photos of people and posting them on the internet,’ he said, adding that currently there is no need to get a person’s consent in order to post a photo of them. He also said there is a ‘crucial need’ to raise awareness about how social networking sites work. Few people realize that they can be offered up as friends to people they don’t know. Also, many people don’t realize that it’s almost impossible to erase material once it has appeared on the internet, Pirotti said.”

(Via QuickLinks Update.)

Facebook battles Google over access to user data: “Facebook has suspended the use of a Google service which allowed people to export their Facebook friends list to other websites, claiming that the Google service violates users’ privacy.”

(Via OUT-LAW News.)