Facebook users are already voting against the proposed changes that it set out in its revised privacy and security policies.
After receiving questions from its users, Facebook posted an ‘Explanation of Changes’ update on its Site Governance page, which provides some further details to the proposed changes, under its Data Use Policy and Statement of Rights and Responsibilities, that were of most concern to users.
One of the main concerns is Facebook sharing user data with its affiliated companies such as Instagram.
“Some of you asked us to clarify new language that we proposed, which explains that we share information with our family of companies. This provision is standard in the industry and promotes the efficient and effective use of the services Facebook and its affiliates provide – for example, permitting information to be shared with our affiliates allows our users in the United States (whose services are provided by Facebook Inc.) to interact with our users in Europe (whose services are provided by Facebook Ireland Ltd.)," Facebook wrote in its update.
“Additionally, as many people know, we recently acquired Instagram. This provision covers Instagram and allows us to store Instagram’s server logs and administrative records in a way that is more efficient than maintaining totally separate storage systems.
"We’ve added additional language to this proposal to clarify that the sharing of information among our affiliates is and will be done in compliance with all applicable laws, and where additional consent of our users is required, we will obtain it.”
Facebook said it is not changing users’ ownership over their own content, it is not removing privacy control settings that are currently in place and it is not changing its advertising guidelines.
However, some Facebook users are still cautious about the proposed changes. Almost 100 comments have already been made on the update since it was posted about five hours ago. Many people stated they are voting “no” against the changes and they “oppose the changes and want a vote about the demands on www.our-policy.org”.
About 55,000 comments have been made via the our-policy.org website that lets users show their disapproval to Facebook’s proposed changes to its Data Use Policy.
Facebook is allowing users to vote on the proposed changes before 10 December.
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