Close to a settlement with US federal authorities, Facebook faces charges related to misleading users regarding the handling of their personal information.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the settlement will necessitate that Facebook obtains user consent to share data in a manner that deviates from the original terms agreed upon by users.
The publication cites sources who shall remain unnamed, stating that Facebook has consented to implement these changes in order to conclude a nearly two-year investigation conducted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Should the FTC’s commissioners approve the settlement, Facebook must acquire explicit consent from its 800 million users before it alters its privacy settings.
Criticism has been directed at Facebook for its modifications that broaden user profile visibility and activities to a larger audience, placing the burden on users to revert to more conservative privacy settings.
The FTC initiated its investigation after the social media platform made updates that automatically disclosed users’ names, photos, and other personal information to anyone on the internet.
The suggested settlement also stipulates that the government will review Facebook’s privacy practices over the next 20 years.
In a similar context, Google agreed to undergo audits as part of a settlement with the FTC concerning its management of personal information back in February 2010, coinciding with the launch of its Buzz social networking service.
Recently, Google announced plans to discontinue Buzz, opting instead to focus on Google+, which was launched in June.
