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One of the world’s biggest social networking sites is in violation of Canadian privacy laws, according to a independent report.
Completing a thorough investigation into the practices of social networking giant Facebook, Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart claimed that the site was not doing enough to safeguard user’s personal information.
"It’s clear that privacy issues are top of mind for Facebook, and yet we found serious privacy gaps in the way the site operates," said Stoddart.
The report claimed that Facebook’s key flaw was in how it does not delete user details of those who have terminated their accounts.
Facebook’s retort to this was that the website needed to keep personal data because a large proportion of people who deactivate accounts eventually end up reactivating them.
It is said that about half the number of Facebook users do this. Stoddart added that Facebook was failing to adequately protect user info from third-party developers.
The firm now has 30 days to bring the website in line with the report’s recommendations, with Stoddart now considering legal action if this does not occur.
Facebook has strenuously denied many of the criticisms outlined in the report.
