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Consumer groups' response to Facebook's updated terms

Published on 09.04.2019

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PRESS COMMENT - 09.04.2019

Today, the European Commission announced that Facebook is changing its terms and clarifying its use of data for consumers.

 

Ursula Pachl, BEUC Deputy-Director General, commented:

“Clearer terms and conditions are welcomed but do not solve the problems inherent to Facebook’s business model, which is built on the extensive exploitation and monetisation of people’s privacy, its market dominance in Europe and concerns about the company’s compliance with the GDPR.”

“A comprehensive and coordinated assessment of Facebook’s practices should be carried out from a consumer, data protection and competition law perspective by all relevant enforcement authorities. More transparency is not enough, fundamental changes in Facebook’s practices are needed.”

“In a data economy, consumer and data protection law have to be looked at and enforced hand in hand. We are disappointed that the CPC[1] network in this investigation limited its ambitions to increasing the transparency of social media platforms’ contract conditions and that consumer organisations were not consulted in this process. We are now waiting to see the amended terms and conditions of Facebook.”




[1] Consumer Protection Cooperation Network