Facebook changes the terms of use at the request of the Commission

The European Commission and consumer protection authorities have welcomed the new updated Facebook terms.

ΟThe new terms now clearly explain how the company uses the data of its users to compile their "profile", so as to facilitate the targeted display of ads.

Facebook will supplement the terms of its services with a text explaining that it does not charge users for its services, but that they, in return, agree to share their data and be exposed to commercial advertising. From now on, Facebook terms will clearly explain that the company's business model is based on the sale of targeted advertising services to marketers, using data from its user profiles.

The new terms describe in detail Facebook's services based on the use of its users' data, which it sells to third parties, as well as how consumers can close their accounts and the reasons why they can be disabled. accounts. These developments, according to a statement from the Commission, came after a declaration of Facebook's business model to users, in a language that is understandable and simple.

Vieira Jurova, Commissioner for Justice, Consumer Affairs and Gender Equality, welcomed the agreement, saying: "Facebook has finally shown its commitment to greater transparency and the use of simpler language in its terms of use. A company that wants to regain consumer confidence in the wake of the Facebook / Cambridge Analytica scandal should not hide behind complicated, legal terminology about how it earns billions from citizens' data. "From now on, users will clearly understand that their data is being used by the social network to sell targeted ads."

In addition, Facebook modified the following:

- its policy of limitation of liability, as it now acknowledges its liability in the event of negligence, for example if certain data have been misused by third parties;

- its ability to change terms and conditions unilaterally, limiting it to cases where the changes are reasonable, while taking into account the interests of the consumer;

- rules on the temporary retention of deleted content by consumers. Such content may be retained only in certain cases — for example, in order to comply with a enforcement request by an authority — and for a maximum of 90 days in the case of technical reasons;

Facebook will complete the implementation of all its commitments by the end of June 2019 at the latest. The Commission and the Consumer Protection Network will monitor the implementation. If Facebook does not comply with its commitments, consumer protection authorities may decide to impose enforcement measures, including sanctions.

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