Tech & Rights

Facebook's Privacy Settings Declared Illegal by German Court

Facebook’s default privacy settings and use of personal data violate German consumer law, a Berlin regional court has ruled. The court determined that Facebook collects and uses personal data without providing its...

by LibertiesEU
(Image: Franco Bouly)

Facebook’s default privacy settings and use of personal data violate German consumer law, a Berlin regional court has ruled. The court determined that Facebook collects and uses personal data without providing its users enough information to allow them to give meaningful consent. The suit was brought by the Federation of German Consumer Organisations, which argued that Facebook illegally forced users to opt-in to certain features. In total, the court found five default settings and a further eight clauses in the terms of service to be in violation of German law.

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