The European Commission on Tuesday welcomed an update to Facebook’s terms and conditions that spells out how the social media giant uses consumers’ data and how accounts can be disabled or closed, in line with EU demands.
Under the new terms, Facebook will explain that its business model depends on selling targeted ads based on data from users’ profiles.
It will also make clear that Facebook users are not charged for the firm’s services in return for their agreement that Facebook will share their data and use that information to target ads.
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The changes result from a 2018 request by the commission and national consumer protection authorities that the company clarify its business model.
It was prompted by the Cambridge Analytica scandal – in which Facebook let the London-based firm harvest its data on millions on users for work aiding the Brexit cause and Donald Trump’s White House bid in 2016 – and a commission probe.
“Today Facebook finally shows commitment to more transparency and straightforward language in its terms of use,” said EU Justice Commissioner Vera Jourova.
Facebook must also clarify its responsibility in cases of negligence; the conditions under which it may change its terms unilaterally; its rules on the temporary retention of content that its users have deleted; and the conditions for users to appeal when their content has been removed.
Facebook, which has yet to meet all EU demands, must implement this set of requirements by the end of June, the commission said.
If it does not, “national consumer authorities could decide to resort to enforcement measures, including sanctions,” it added. (NAN)
