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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Facebook founder apology over ads | Facebook founder apology over ads |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The founder of social networking site Facebook Mark Zuckerberg has apologised to users for the way it launched a social advertising system. | The founder of social networking site Facebook Mark Zuckerberg has apologised to users for the way it launched a social advertising system. |
| Called Beacon, the system tracks web shopping on partner sites outside Facebook and then sells adverts to the social network based on purchases. | Called Beacon, the system tracks web shopping on partner sites outside Facebook and then sells adverts to the social network based on purchases. |
| After complaints the site was invading privacy, Facebook changed Beacon from an opt-out system to opt in. | After complaints the site was invading privacy, Facebook changed Beacon from an opt-out system to opt in. |
| Mr Zuckerberg has said users can now switch off Beacon completely. | Mr Zuckerberg has said users can now switch off Beacon completely. |
| In a statement posted on the Facebook blog, Mr Zuckerberg said: "We've made a lot of mistakes building this feature, but we've made even more with how we've handled them. | In a statement posted on the Facebook blog, Mr Zuckerberg said: "We've made a lot of mistakes building this feature, but we've made even more with how we've handled them. |
| "We simply did a bad job with this release, and I apologise for it." | "We simply did a bad job with this release, and I apologise for it." |
| He added: "I'm not proud of the way we've handled this situation and I know we can do better." | He added: "I'm not proud of the way we've handled this situation and I know we can do better." |
| More than 50,000 Facebook users signed a petition complaining about Beacon. Initially, Facebook said it would not offer users a universal opt-out from Beacon. | More than 50,000 Facebook users signed a petition complaining about Beacon. Initially, Facebook said it would not offer users a universal opt-out from Beacon. |
| Concerted pressure | Concerted pressure |
| The company relented after concerted pressure from privacy advocates and leading technology writers in the blogosphere. | The company relented after concerted pressure from privacy advocates and leading technology writers in the blogosphere. |
| But some writers have questioned whether the switch-off option goes far enough. | But some writers have questioned whether the switch-off option goes far enough. |
| Om Malik has questioned if turning off Beacon merely prevents advertisers and Facebook "storing" purchase information. | Om Malik has questioned if turning off Beacon merely prevents advertisers and Facebook "storing" purchase information. |
| If so, he wrote on his website, information from purchases could still be swapped in real time. | If so, he wrote on his website, information from purchases could still be swapped in real time. |
| The Facebook apology highlights a growing debate surrounding privacy and advertising in the online space. | The Facebook apology highlights a growing debate surrounding privacy and advertising in the online space. |
| Many privacy advocates are concerned about the use of "web beacons" to monitor the surfing habits of users and to what use that information is put by websites and advertisers. | Many privacy advocates are concerned about the use of "web beacons" to monitor the surfing habits of users and to what use that information is put by websites and advertisers. |
| Facebook's system raised concern with some users because it meant friends could see which websites and which products they were buying online. | Facebook's system raised concern with some users because it meant friends could see which websites and which products they were buying online. |
| The adverts were presented as personal recommendations to users because people in their friends' list were, in effect, endorsing brands and products by purchasing items. | |
| More than 40 companies, including Coca Cola, Blockbuster and Sony Pictures, signed up to Beacon when launched. |