Social networking giant Facebook has become a vital tool in helping many to keep in touch with family and friends from home and abroad.
However, after privacy issues in 2009 that angered many users, the website has landed in trouble yet again and is currently settling with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over charges that it deceived users into share more personal information than they agreed to.
The FTC found Facebook guilty of allowing information to made public, despite promising users that these would be made private.
In 2009, the social network changed its privacy settings so that information users thought were private, such as their friend’s list, became viewable to everyone.
“They didn’t warn users that this change was coming, or get their approval in advance,” the FTC told reporters.
According to the settlement, it is now mandatory for Facebook to update its users on any changes it makes regarding privacy, as well as gaining their approval before any of these changes are finalised.
Despite the “bunch of mistakes” his company has made, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that Facebook has made a lot of positive changes in people’s lives and that they have addressed the concerns put forward by the FTC.
