Facebook, now known as Meta, is providing a new Privacy
Center tool to users that consists of a comprehensive overview of the platform’s
various data tracking aspects.
There are five main elements in the Privacy Center, including
Security, Sharing, Collection, Use, and Ads. All of them explain how Meta
collects data in each of them and provide the options to turn tracking off for each
of the elements.
Security offers tools like two-factor authentication with which
users can strengthen account security. It further explains how Meta combats
data scraping.
The Sharing tab shows users who can view their posts. It offers
tools like Manage Activity that can help users delete old posts that they no
longer want to be on their profiles.
Collection shows different types of data that Meta collects
and offers users the ability to view this data through tools like Access Your
Information.
The Use section explains how and why Meta collects users’ data. It further offers control tools that help manage the information that a user wants to or doesn’t want to share.
Lastly, the Ads tab is there to explain how the ads that users see are based on the data collected from them. Tools like Ad Preferences offer control options for the ads that are displayed on users’ feed.
The Privacy Center doesn’t offer anything new or different,
since it is based on Facebook’s existing privacy tools. However, there is a
reason why Meta has decided to launch the new tool.
Recently, Facebook were issued a $68 million fine by the French
data protection agency CNIL for breaching the cookie tracking law in France. The
company was further investigated for the way it presents data tracking choices
to users. CNIL argued that Facebook offers a button that allows the user to
immediately accept cookies, and does not provide an equivalent solution that
would allow the user to refuse the deposit of these cookies if they wish to. The
agency noted that this act exploits the users’ freedom of consent, which is an
infringement of Article 82 of the French Data Protection Act.
Therefore, it looks like Meta’s attempt to provide a more
comprehensive and transparent overview of its cookie tracking policies aligns with
the requirements of data protection laws in a better way. It also provides controls
that are easier to use for turning off data tracking for any of the five
elements of the platform’s Privacy Center.
