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Zuck slapped down for privacy breaches in Germany again
Deutschland flak for Facebook's Friend Finder feature
The long-running dispute between Facebook and Germany's consumer watchdogs is all over, bar the shouting.
Reuters reports the decision by the Federal Court of Justice that the “friend finder” feature is unlawful, backed up decisions by two lower courts in 2012 and 2014.
The Federation of German Consumer Organisations, the VZBV (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband), flung the first sueball in 2010.
The feature in question slurped a user's e-mail address book to send invites, a recruiting practice that the decision says violates German data protection and trade practice laws.
The VZBV said in its media statement that the mass import meant Facebook was using personal information of non-members without their consent.
It notes that other social media services have similar practices, adding the helpful suggestion that they “review” these activities.
In 2013, the VZBV blitzed Apple over privacy, telling Cupertino its privacy policy, which demanded a “global consent” from users, was out of line. ®
Biting the hand that feeds IT
