What it means for you.
By Dileep Thekkethil
BENGALURU: Facebook has updated its privacy policy after getting incessant requests from users who criticised the earlier one for its length and complexity for an average user to read.
The new privacy policy of Facebook is divided into subsections explaining how to use the website and also about the type of details that Facebook collects and share with advertisers.
The new privacy policy of Facebook is 70% shorter than the earlier one. The text is short but easier to understand. It now helps users to know the kind of information Facebook extracts from them.
Facebook users who have questions and comments regarding the Privacy Policy can post them till November 20. The final version of the privacy policy will come into effect soon after taking into consideration the comments and suggestions forwarded by users.
Here are five important clauses in the new privacy policy of Facebook:
- Facebook privacy statement says they have started collecting GPS location details of the users, helping businesses to provide ads based on the users current location. Until a few months, Facebook used the “current city” mentioned in the user profiles for advertising purpose. According to the new policy, Facebook also uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi for detecting the location of your device. Also, if you tag photos to a particular location, this will be also used to collect information about your location.
- It is not just your location, but even the activities outside the social media site will be used by Facebook for various purposes. The privacy statement says if users login to other websites using the Facebook user id, those data will get stored in the server. Adding to this, Facebook will also save the logs about the activities done using WhatsApp and Instagram, the companies that Facebook recently acquired.
- Even if you don’t use the Facebook user ID, advertisers can target you using the cookies saved inside the PC. Here is how it works, a website can use the browser cookies and ask Facebook to show ads based on those cookies.
- Facebook made it clear that they are watching you. It says, “We collect the content and other information you provide when you use our Services, including when you sign up for an account, create or share, and message or communicate with others.” In addition to this, Facebook is also collecting information about how you are engaging with the social media site, “such as the types of content you view or engage with or the frequency and duration of your activities.”
- Facebook is also in the process of adding a new feature that helps you to do online shopping directly from your Facebook Home – without having to visit other websites for it. If you have full faith in Facebook, it allows you to store information regarding your transaction, which includes your credit card number, shipping and billing address.
You can read the full privacy policy of Facebook here