Facebook faces privacy questions… again

Over the past couple of years, as reported in Inside Internal Control, Facebook has had run-ins with the Canadian Privacy Commissioner. And Canada’s not alone; privacy watchdogs in the United States and around the world have been critical of Facebook’s willingness to sacrifice users’ personal data in the name of social media.
After the latest criticism, and Facebook’s ill-advised defence of its privacy policies in the U.S. press, there was a well-publicized but unsuccessful movement to mobilize Facebook users to commit social suicide and deactivate their Facebook accounts on May 31.
But you’re not Facebook, and you’re probably not a major player in the world of social media. What’s the lesson for you? Just this: as you develop strategies to make new connections with your customers and your market through your website, email and Internet marketing, blogs and Twitter, you must ensure that protection of personal information is built into whatever you do. Take the advice of the Ontario Privacy Commissioner and practise Privacy by Design.
Colin Braithwaite
First Reference Internal Controls Managing Editor