Facebook, Fortnight, and Privacy Drama
Hi,
I'm finally back from vacation and it's only 3 days until Friday. I still feel totally behind but an update was necessary.
So I'll make it quick.
You've all heard about it by now - the decision against Facebook & Instagram. There was suppose to be a bit about WhatsApp too but they seemed to have forgotten about that one for now.
Meta want to have you personal data - makes sense and to an extend we want it to as it helps our ads.
The thing is, you only have 6 different reasons you can use to justify collecting data. Also know as the legal basis or lawful basis.
They are:
1. Consent
2. Legitimate Interests
3. Contractual Obligation
4. Public Interest
5. Legal Obligation
6. Vital Interests (to keep you alive!)
Meta claimed, as they had put a bit about personalised ads into their T&C's, that it was their contractual obligation to serve personalised ads hence to collect the personal data.
Far-fetched, I know.
After doing some privacy math they don't have much left to choose from the above options. Just one - Consent.
Good luck trying to get all those users to agree to let Meta collect all that data for some ads!
(they are now busy arguing who was allowed to say what - no not facebook - the guys who make decisions so get ready for some 🍿 worthy privacy drama and will delay any real decision for another few years.)
More reading on the Meta decision:
noyb published the decision and links here.
In other (old) news Fortnight got fined roughly $250million for a few things including using dark patterns.
This is something I will keep bringing up a lot but dark patterns will fuck you. It's just a matter of time.
Not only do they piss off you users but also a bunch of the authorities. It's time to just get over them. They are ingrained in the way we do marketing and it's time to start changing that mindset.
I posted a thread about them on twitter with a list of the common offenders. Check out out here.
Random Bits:
Make sure you add everyone to BCC instead of the "to" section as you might get fined. The Romanian DPA just issued a €3000 fine. It's an expensive consequence to forgetting BCC. (source)
CNIL decided to fine TikTok for how they handle cookies on DESKTOP. Just saying they are one of the most downloaded social media MOBILE apps. (source) @CatalinaGoanta said it best here.
Privacy Hall of Shame:
Am I the only one totally lost here. And what is that drop down for?
Closing thought:
If we continue to ignore users and trick them into giving us their data we will be rewarded with more ad blockers, more fragmented regulation that can't agree, and less reliable data.
Until next time,
Siobhan