Technical Tuesday: What do our data policies really say?

I was watching the news last night and saw an article that featured people who were shocked and appalled that Facebook could sell their information and these same people claimed that they were not informed that Facebook could do this.

Me, being the reader at heart that I am. I went ahead and read the whole Data Policy along with the Terms and Conditions. You can find both here.

This Data Policy is for Facebook and Instagram. Through out the entire text it says that it is used for both Facebook and Instagram. Considering that Facebook owns Instagram this is no surprise.

Now… For the Disclaimer… I am NOT a Lawyer. I Do Not have a law Degree. I did read and using English that I learned in school. I have found at least 3 areas where Facebook Tells YOU that they are collecting information from you and also how they use that information.

Also, Just so you know many sites have a data policy. Those same sites also do collect information from you when you use them. This same policy is in effect for many games and applications that we use on our phones and tablets. In fact…as you are reading this… my very own site is collecting Data from you. That is why there is a cookies pop up and you have to click accept for it to go away. 

Such as under the section labeled:

What kinds of information do we collect?

To provide the Facebook Products, we must process information about you. The types of information we collect depend on how you use our Products. You can learn how to access and delete information we collect by visiting the Facebook Settings and Instagram Settings.

https://www.facebook.com/policy.php

This means that they are collecting information from you…But that you are in control of that information and then they provide you links on how to see what information they are collecting.

Then under the section “Things you and others do and provide” look at the subheadings for Networks and Connections.

Networks and connections. We collect information about the people, Pages, accounts, hashtags and groups you are connected to and how you interact with them across our Products, such as people you communicate with the most or groups you are part of. We also collect contact information if you choose to upload, sync or import it from a device (such as an address book or call log or SMS log history), which we use for things like helping you and others find people you may know and for the other purposes listed below.

Facebook.com/policy

It says that they collect information that you give to them! But that last sentence is the most important. Cause if you click on the word Below.. it takes you to a whole new section.

How do we use this information?

We use the information we have (subject to choices you make) as described below and to provide and support the Facebook Products and related services described in the Facebook Terms and Instagram Terms. Here’s how:

Facebook.com/policy

Right there again, in the first paragraph it tells you that your agreeing to them using all the information that your provide, by interacting with their site and also on other sites when you use the button that says “Log on with Facebook”

Then if you scroll down to continue reading you will see another subheading that says:

Ads and other sponsored content: We use the information we have about you-including information about your interests, actions and connections-to select and personalize ads, offers and other sponsored content that we show you. Learn more about how we select and personalize ads, and your choices over the data we use to select ads and other sponsored content for you in the Facebook Settings and Instagram Settings.

Facebook.com/policy

This means that a business such as Geeksynonymous (ME) can go to Facebook and pay them to post an ad…and with a little bit of information that I do not have access too. They post my add on your sidebar and you see it when you use Facebook.

In conclusion…

Technically they are not selling your information. They are charging a business or a person who wants to place an ad and selling the DEMOGRAPHICS. Which by definition is
“statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it.”

They can say that they are not selling your information to an outside source, because they really are not. They are selling the fact that they have loads of information. That you and your friends and family gave them and authorized them to use. Your information never leaves their servers they just use it to sell ad space. And if you don’t want them to then turn off the setting!

So as always Happy Computing.