Privacy Commission files suit against Facebook

Belgium’s Privacy Commission, which is responsible for policing data protection laws, has filed for an interim judgement against Facebook. The action alleges Facebook is in breach of Belgium’s data protection laws.

The complaint refers to Facebook’s latest privacy policy. The suit claims that the policy abuses the private data of Facebook users. Facebook also tracks the internet behaviour of non-users who land on websites that use Facebook products and services, such as “share” and “like” buttons.

Non-users of Facebook have their movements tracked: where they arrived on the website from and where they went to next. Since millions of websites use the buttons, that could amount to a considerable map of a person’s movements, to which they have never agreed.

The Privacy Commission has already approached Facebook about these issues. “We received an email from someone from Facebook in London – someone we don’t know,” said the commission’s chair Willem Debeuckelaere. “He said that talks no longer have any point. Apparently, we’re no longer able to speak to each other outside the courtroom.”

But the matter, he continued, “is urgent. We can’t wait for years for a solution to what is a flagrant and large-scale offence against Belgium’s data protection laws”.

The action for an interim judgement is due to be heard by a court in Brussels on Thursday. If admitted by the court, Facebook will likely be ordered to come into line with Belgian law within a short time, and the court may impose a penalty for each day its order remains unenforced. If the interim order is not admitted, a date will be set for the case to be heard.

Photo: Ingimage