Facebook's Latest Privacy Changes: Tag, You're You
Writing a post about Facebook changing its privacy policies can feel like a fool's errand.
Nearly everyone who has pulse — and lives part of their life online — likely knows how Facebook makes its money and understands why this service, which connects 1.1 billion people, is free.
But here we go again.
Facebook is updating its privacy policies — one more time.
These changes — driven in part by a recent class-action settlement — are designed to allow Facebook to continue using images and information about its members, including minors, in so-called sponsored stories (ads) which appear on the site.
The new rules make it clear that, simply by signing up, a 13-year-old not only gives his or her own permission to appear in ads — they are stating that a parent is consenting to commercial use of his or her image as well. The rules say:
"If you are under the age of eighteen (18), or under any other applicable age of majority, you represent that at least one of your parents or legal guardians has also agreed to the terms of this section (and the use of your name, profile picture, content, and information) [in advertising]."