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German privacy official bans Facebook "like" button

Written by Rich Fiscus @ 19 Aug 2011 3:26 User comments (12)

German privacy official bans Facebook "like" button Website operators in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein have until the end of September to get remove all Facebook "like" buttons or face fines up to 50,000 euros.
The announcement came from Data Protection Commissioner’s Office (ULD) in Schleswig-Holstein. A statement explains:

By using the Facebook service traffic and content data are transferred into the USA and a qualified feedback is sent back to the website owner concerning the web page usage, the so called web analytics. Whoever visits facebook.com or uses a plug-in must expect that he or she will be tracked by the company for two years. Facebook builds a broad individual and for members even a personalised profile. Such a profiling infringes German and European data protection law. There is no sufficient information of users and there is no choice; the wording in the conditions of use and privacy statements of Facebook does not nearly meet the legal requirements relevant for compliance of legal notice, privacy consent and general terms of use.




ULD head, Commissioner Thilo Weichert, points the finger for these alleged violations directly at website operators:

Web analytics is among those services and especially informative for advertising purposes. It is paid with the data of the users. With the help of these data Facebook has gained an estimated market value of more than 50 bn. dollars. Institutions must be aware that they cannot shift their responsibility for data privacy upon the enterprise Facebook which does not have an establishment in Germany and also not upon the users.


However, his real message appears to be that you shouldn't trust Facebook, which he warned against using:

To Internet users ULD offers the advice to keep their fingers from clicking on social plug-ins such as the “like”-button and not to set up a Facebook account if they wish to avoid a comprehensive profiling by this company.

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12 user comments

119.8.2011 15:52

Pfft. Glwt.

219.8.2011 16:10

Welcome to Nazi Germany part 2.

319.8.2011 17:35

Really?! Facebook tracks your internet activity?! Who woulda guessed... What's next, Google tracks you too?

Seriously though, this isn't the privacy czar's place to ban it. It should be their place to warn about it and allow the user to decide if they want to help the realization of 1982 or not.

420.8.2011 00:09

Glad I don't live in Germany. I guess I'm safe anyways, considering I don't have a Facebook.

520.8.2011 13:21

Natzi Germany ? Really what a stupid comment! O well Democratic America with gas chambers electric chair and a number of other torture methods not to mention Guantanamo KZ

620.8.2011 15:25

Originally posted by Jimathome:
Natzi Germany ? Really what a stupid comment! O well Democratic America with gas chambers electric chair and a number of other torture methods not to mention Guantanamo KZ
"Really what a stupid comment!" You call a, albeit not quite justified, comment 'stupid,' then proceed to rail against a country that was even mentioned. Are you bitter or a troll? Then again, I guess that's a stupid question. After all, the two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.

EDIT- Typo
This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 20 Aug 2011 @ 3:26

720.8.2011 18:14

No not at all it's just soooo obvious that it was an American that made this comment, one doesn't have to be psycic to recogonise that !

820.8.2011 18:20

O by the way to state facts about a country is not in my oipininion "railing" against a country as you so quaintly put it but rather an obsavation which I believe to be fairly accurate !

920.8.2011 21:14

Originally posted by Jimathome:
No not at all it's just soooo obvious that it was an American that made this comment, one doesn't have to be psycic to recogonise that !

O by the way to state facts about a country is not in my oipininion "railing" against a country as you so quaintly put it but rather an obsavation which I believe to be fairly accurate !
Really? Because it's 'soooo obvious' to you. Believe it or not, such comments aren't characteristically American, only in the minds of those that want it to be (those spiteful for example). Many nationalities would make such a comment, not just American. Also, you gave no facts, just threw out a bunch of nouns. Lastly, I say railing because you have nothing to base it as an American comment but jump straight to that attacking it.

1023.8.2011 10:09

Originally posted by Jimathome:
No not at all it's just soooo obvious that it was an American that made this comment, one doesn't have to be psycic to recogonise that !

Surprise surprise, I'm Canadian.

1123.8.2011 22:42

Originally posted by ROMaster2:
Originally posted by Jimathome:
No not at all it's just soooo obvious that it was an American that made this comment, one doesn't have to be psycic to recogonise that !

Surprise surprise, I'm Canadian.
I wondered about that (what nationality) but it wasn't in your profile here and I wasn't about to make assumptions. You Canadians and trying to make the U.S. look bad. That is a joke by the way, to those that don't catch it...

1223.8.2011 23:27

Pfft. Glwt.

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