Canadian firm sues Facebook
Summary
Topics
A Toronto-based law firm with a history of targeting litigation at corporations as varied as chocolate companies and silicone breast implant manufacturers has a new company in the crosshairs: Facebook.
Merchant Law Group, which has offices in 10 Canadian cities, last week launched litigation seeking class action status against the massive social-networking site, alleging the mishandling of sensitive user data--the latest development in a resurgence of action against the social network's privacy policies, after it looked for a while as if all the fuss had calmed down.
The suit alleges that Facebook changed user privacy settings and its terms of service without adequate consent from users, rendering a significant amount of information public to the Web when it had once been protected. The lead plaintiff is a Winnipeg, Manitoba, resident named Donald J. Woligroski, and the complaint alleges that he "has been subject to, inter alia, breach of privacy and the misappropriation of his personal information and, in the addition or alternative, the conversion of said information for commercial use through the materially deceptive conduct of the Defendant"--that defendant being Facebook.
For more on this story, read Toronto law firm preps Facebook privacy suit on CNET News.
Talkback Most Recent of 4 Talkback(s)
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RE: Canadian firm sues Facebook
If it's sensitive or you don't want the whole world to see it then don't put it on the web!
Telix8th Jul 2010 -
RE: Canadian firm sues Facebook
I remember in January there was a similar problem, Facebook being investigated in Canada for changing privacy settings and people saying they felt more exposed. There was a tool introduced for users to be able to review their privacy settings, some found it difficult to use it...What can I say? Putting private stuff on the web is, as Telix said above, a proof that you don't mind showing off, so if you don't mind friends seeing it, why would you mind strangers taking a look? What will happen when Facebook finally gets to China? Lots of news about Facebook being sued over and over again?
LenWilliams9th Jul 2010 -
Sensitive user data??????
I'm no fan of Facebook .... but when a user decides to post information and photos on a free and highly public service, they can't claim that the service is violating their rights to privacy. The users themselves published the so called sensitive data.
One very important fact that everybody forgets, is that Facebook actually tells you up-front that they have the right to do what ever the hell they want with the data being posted in their FREE service. As a user, you freely give them the right when you sign and upload the "sensitive" photos and info.
It is hard to claim foul play, when you are told and warned ahead of time .... and you agree to it.
wackoae9th Jul 2010 -
Sensitive user data
I disagree that facebook has the right to publish what was once hidden. When items are uploaded to the site with the option of private, then that is what the data should be marked as, PRIVATE. only the user sghould be able to change something from private to public. Facebook seems to have their own definition of what private means. If they are allowed to continue to do this, what prevents banks and other institutions from changing their policy once they get your information.
jkorchmar@...12th Jul 2010
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