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Martin Keene/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Facebook says privacy practices are sufficient, cites independent audit

What do you think?

FACEBOOK SAYS THAT an independent audit has found its privacy practices sufficient during a six-month assessment period that followed a settlement with federal regulators.

Facebook said it submitted the findings to the Federal Trade Commission earlier this week.

The audit was a required part of the social networking company’s settlement with the FTC last summer, resolving charges that the social network exposed details about its users’ lives without getting the required legal consent.

Facebook provided a copy of its letter to the FTC, along with a redacted copy of the auditor’s letter, to The Associated Press yesterday.

The redacted portion contains trade secret information and does not alter the auditor’s findings, the company said. The audit covered written policies as well as its data.

“We’re encouraged by this confirmation that the controls set out in our privacy program are working as intended,” said Erin Egan, Facebook’s chief privacy officer for policy,” in an emailed statement.

“This assessment has also helped us identify areas to work on as Facebook continues to evolve as a company, and improve upon the privacy protections we already have in place.

“We will keep working to meet the changing and evolving needs of our users and to put user privacy and security at the center of everything we do.”

Facebook did not disclose the full, 79-page report or specific details on shortcomings in its privacy practices that were revealed by the audit.

Spokeswoman Jodi Seth said Facebook declined to disclose such details “based on contractual obligations and the possibility of security and competitive vulnerabilities.”

The company has asked the FTC to keep the redacted information private, saying it would put it and its auditor at a competitive disadvantage and because it could reveal possible limitations of its privacy program.

The name of the accounting firm is also redacted but that information will be released when the FTC responds to the audit.

Poll: Do you think Facebook’s privacy practices are sufficient?


Poll Results:

No (275)
Don't have/use Facebook (268)
Yes (70)

Read: Mark Zuckerberg says it’s OK to ignore guests while checking your phone

Column: The ‘Facebook phone’ is here – what does that mean for consumers?

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23 Comments
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    Mute Beachmaster
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    Aug 30th 2016, 10:09 AM

    A brave man. His family and friends should be very proud of him.

    196
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    Mute Patrick Watson
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    Aug 30th 2016, 10:23 AM

    RIP. Another needless victim of radical Islam. Hopefully the journal won’t censor my condolences this time around.

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    Mute Brendan O'Brien
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    Aug 30th 2016, 12:01 PM

    More accurately, a victim of a gobsh*te with a knife.

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    Mute Brendan O'Brien
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    Aug 30th 2016, 12:07 PM
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    Mute A hater
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    Aug 30th 2016, 12:08 PM

    Yeah come on Patrick, gobsh*tes are well known to shout “Allahu Akbar” before stabbing someone in the face.

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    Mute Brendan O'Brien
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    Aug 30th 2016, 12:11 PM

    This one did. There is no evidence that he was even a practising Muslim.

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    Mute stevenocarroll
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    Aug 30th 2016, 5:09 PM

    @Brendan

    Was he ethnic French? Or was he some other ethnicity? With a different ethnic and cultural view and thus different outlook regarding the territory of France and westerners in general?

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    Mute Julian King
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    Aug 30th 2016, 10:11 AM

    He died brave.

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    Mute Paul Mc
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    Aug 30th 2016, 10:18 AM

    A very brave man,but is there not a legal case pending.

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    Mute A hater
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    Aug 30th 2016, 12:06 PM

    Sick of them yet?

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    Mute Fergal Barry
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    Aug 30th 2016, 4:40 PM

    So we can comment on this story even though someone has been arrested and charged. The Journal policies are fickle at best.

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