Facebook ads to carry users’ pics

Facebook users could soon find their photos and comments being plastered willy-nilly over advertisements on the site, if proposed changes to its privacy policy get the green-light.
The planned changes follow a recent court case in the US, which saw 614,000 users receive minimal compensation in a Facebook settlement after they had complained their images and comments had been used in Sponsored Stories without permission. The case cost the social network a total of $20m (£12.9m).
“We are taking the time to ensure that user comments are reviewed and taken into consideration to determine whether further updates are necessary and we expect to finalise the process in the coming week,” Facebook said in a statement.
Once updated, the policy will make it clear when users have given Facebook blanket permission to use their likenesses, names and personal information to endorse products and services.
But six organisations in the US, including the Electronic Privacy Information Center, the Center for Digital Democracy and the Privacy Rights Clearing House, have written to the Federal Trade Commission filing their own complaints about the new policy.
In a letter to the FTC, the groups said the move was a “major setback for the privacy rights of Facebook users”. They urged the FTC to act and ensure users kept control of what was done with their data on social media.

Related stories
Facebook pays $20m privacy claim
Facebook news feed ads rile users
Facebook blurs ads and posts
Facebook ramps up marketing data
FB denies mobile ad barrage
Hack fears hit Facebook Home
Facebook ads ‘a step too far’