Facebook Announces Data Security Measures that Comply with EUs GDPR
The social media platform has announced new opt outs that allow users to choose how their data is being used.
Facebook announced on Wednesday it is introducing "new privacy experiences" aimed at complying with European Union regulations that will give users worldwide a chance to opt out of some features that could expose their personal data.
"Everyone - no matter where they live - will be asked to review important information about how Facebook uses data and make choices about their privacy on Facebook," Erin Egan, Facebook's chief privacy officer said.
The social media platform said the change was part of the "EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including updates to our terms and data policy."
Facebook will offer individuals the following as part of the new privacy guidelines:
- A choice of whether or not they want to use data from partners to show them ads
- Whether to continue sharing political, religious, and relationship information in profiles
- In the EU and Canada, a choice of whether to enable face-recognition technology (it is already optional in the rest of the world, Facebook says)
The new GDPR rules go into effect on May 25 and will apply to any companies that collect or process data on individuals in the EU. They require that customers give informed consent on how their data is being collected and used.
Critics of Facebook's move say the consent process that is outlined relies on design tricks that encourage users to share their personal information widely.