Internet users will no longer be able to publish personal information about a person’s residence on Facebook. This is one of the changes to be made to the policy against the disclosure of personal data (doxxing) of Meta (formerly a Facebook group), following the recommendations of its Supervisory Board.
If the group is required to respect the Supervisory Board’s decisions on the withdrawal or retention of certain publications by Internet users, the scenario regarding this type of recommendation is different.
The company must respond to each of them, but is not obligated to enforce them. Some of the recommendations are still being adopted by the social media giant.
Restrictions
Until now, Meta policy allowed its users to post information about someone’s private residence when they were there can be used by the public elsewhere, such as in a public document.
The Supervisory Board highlighted the difference between this type of document and a viral message on social networks. Meta recognized the problem and decided to remove this exception at the end of the year.
” We recognize that implementing this recommendation may strengthen the privacy protections on our platforms. “
Relaxations
Meta policies on disclosure of personal data have also been relaxed. Internet users can now share photos from outside a private home if it is in the news. However, it cannot if shared as part of organizing protests against the resident.
Official residences of senior government officials, such as the White House or 24 Sussex Drive in Ottawa, are exempt. This information is considered essential for holding demonstrations and freedom of the press, according to Meta.
More reporting options
Meta has also announced new ways to report privacy violations on its social networks, always in line with the recommendations of its Supervisory Board.
Internet users who want to report a privacy breach must manually search two different menus before they can find the option violation of privacy. It will appear immediately in the reporting menu. However, the change is in the testing phase right now. Meta plans to review the results of this change in April before making it permanent.
Rejections
Although Meta accepted some recommendations from its Supervisory Board, it also rejected some out of control. Among them is the creation of a communication channel dedicated to victims of personal data disclosure, accessible even to people who do not have an account on its social networks.
The company said it has still set up some assistance functions in this direction via messaging.
Meta has also so far rejected the idea of temporarily suspending an account in case personal data is disclosed. It further examines the feasibility and method of implementation of such a policy.
This is an initial exercise of recommendations for the Supervisory Board, and a response to them for Meta.
Source: Radio-Canada