Summary:
In 2010, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) identified two personal information aggregation techniques called "connections" and "instant personalisation." Those demonstrated that anyone could get access to information saved on a Facebook profile, even if the information was not intended to be made public. In December 2012, CBS News reported that Randi Zuckerberg, sister of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, also fell victim to the social media network's confusing privacy settings when a private image of her was shared publicly.
Allegations:
- The Electronic Frontier Foundation said that both the "connections" and "instant personalisation" techniques gave access to a user's private information which were not intended to be made public.
- A " connection" is created when a user clicks a "Like" button for a product or service, either on Facebook itself or an external site. Facebook treats such relationships as public information, and the user's identity may be displayed on the Facebook page of the product or service. The "instant personalisation" technique was a pilot program which shared Facebook account information with affiliated sites. The EFF noted that "For users hat have not opted out, Instant Personalisation is instant data leakage."
- Eva Galperin of the EFF said, "Even Randi Zuckerberg can get it wrong. That's an illustration of how confusing they can be."
Defence:
- Randi Zuckerberg, who formerly ran Facebook's marketing department, eventually said the private picture which accessible and hence shared by a marketing director, Callie Schweitze,r because they had a common friend.
- Schweitzer declined to comment when reached by the Associated Press. Randi Zuckerberg allegedly used this confusion to stress on "digital etiquette" instead of emphasising on the need to make privacy settings more understandable and accessible.
- Facebook announced changes in its privacy settings with the most visible–and perhaps the most appreciated–change being the new "privacy shortcuts" section that appears as a tiny lock at the top right of people's news feeds.