FTC Report Reveals Extensive Data Collection by Social Media Platforms: Protecting Your Privacy
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FTC report exposes massive data scraping by social media brands - how to protect yourself
The world's biggest online platforms collect way more data than previously known and make it very hard for users to opt out. A US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) report published today follows the commission's four-year investigation into how nine social media companies and streaming services collect and use consumer data. As it turns out, the data collection scheme is a lot bigger than initially thought. If you're interested, you can read the entire 129-page report on the FTC's website, but here's a quick rundown. The agency first began looking into the shady business practices of the world's biggest online platforms back in 2020. This list included Amazon, Facebook, YouTube, X (then Twitter), Snap, ByteDance, Discord, Reddit, and WhatsApp." Also: Instagram makes 'Teen Accounts' private by default - and AI will be checking your age According to the FCC's findings, these brands gobbled up as much as they could from both "users and non-users," going so far as to purchase information from data brokers. The New York Times, in its coverage, noted that these companies collected details like a person's age, gender, education, and income. Not all platforms offer people a way to opt out of automated data collection and the ones that do offer that option don't make it easy. Even if you manage to opt out and request data deletion, the FTC states that social media companies retain "sensitive information much longer than consumers would expect". When it comes to minors, things aren't much better. The report points out that "many companies assert that there are no children on their platforms" as the services they provide are not meant for kids. Apparently, the report notes, that was all lip service to "avoid liability" as brands "often treated teens the same as adult users." As the FTC's report recommends key changes that policymakers can enact to protect people's privacy, we can expect to see laws enacted to fill the security gaps. But who knows when that will happen. Also: The best secure browsers for privacy: Expert tested Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to protect yourself from data-hungry brands. We suggest familiarizing yourself with a platform's privacy settings. Adjust these settings to limit the amount of data a website can collect like turning off location sharing and opting out of personalized ads. Also, you could consider signing up for alternate social platforms with stricter privacy policies. For example, Mastodon is similar to X although with a greater focus on privacy. And we suggest installing protective browser extensions. Our favorite is Privacy Badger which prevents third-party ad trackers across the internet from collecting data on you.
[2]
FTC report exposes massive data collection by social media brands - how to protect yourself
The world's biggest online platforms collect way more data than previously known and make it very hard for users to opt out. A US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) report published today follows the commission's four-year investigation into how nine social media companies and streaming services collect and use consumer data. As it turns out, the data collection scheme is a lot bigger than initially thought. If you're interested, you can read the entire 129-page report on the FTC's website, but here's a quick rundown. The agency first began looking into the shady business practices of the world's biggest online platforms back in 2020. This list included Amazon, Facebook, YouTube, X (then Twitter), Snap, ByteDance, Discord, Reddit, and WhatsApp." Also: Instagram makes 'Teen Accounts' private by default - and AI will be checking your age According to the FCC's findings, these brands gobbled up as much as they could from both "users and non-users," going so far as to purchase information from data brokers. The New York Times, in its coverage, noted that these companies collected details like a person's age, gender, education, and income. Not all platforms offer people a way to opt out of automated data collection and the ones that do offer that option don't make it easy. Even if you manage to opt out and request data deletion, the FTC states that social media companies retain "sensitive information much longer than consumers would expect". When it comes to minors, things aren't much better. The report points out that "many companies assert that there are no children on their platforms" as the services they provide are not meant for kids. Apparently, the report notes, that was all lip service to "avoid liability" as brands "often treated teens the same as adult users." As the FTC's report recommends key changes that policymakers can enact to protect people's privacy, we can expect to see laws enacted to fill the security gaps. But who knows when that will happen. Also: The best secure browsers for privacy: Expert tested Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to protect yourself from data-hungry brands. We suggest familiarizing yourself with a platform's privacy settings. Adjust these settings to limit the amount of data a website can collect like turning off location sharing and opting out of personalized ads. Also, you could consider signing up for alternate social platforms with stricter privacy policies. For example, Mastodon is similar to X although with a greater focus on privacy. And we suggest installing protective browser extensions. Our favorite is Privacy Badger which prevents third-party ad trackers across the internet from collecting data on you.
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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has released a report exposing the massive scale of data collection and scraping by major social media companies. This article explores the findings and provides guidance on how users can protect their personal information.
FTC Unveils Alarming Data Collection Practices
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has released a comprehensive report shedding light on the extensive data collection practices employed by major social media platforms. The findings reveal a concerning trend of mass data accumulation and scraping, raising significant privacy concerns for users
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.Scale of Data Collection
According to the FTC report, social media giants are amassing vast amounts of personal information from their users. This data includes not only basic profile details but also extends to behavioral patterns, preferences, and even biometric data. The scale of this collection is staggering, with companies processing information from billions of individuals across the globe
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.Data Scraping Concerns
One of the most alarming aspects highlighted in the report is the prevalence of data scraping. This practice involves automated tools extracting large volumes of publicly available information from social media platforms. While some of this data may be considered public, the aggregation and potential misuse of such information pose significant risks to user privacy and security
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.Implications for User Privacy
The extensive data collection and scraping practices have far-reaching implications for user privacy. With such vast amounts of personal information in the hands of social media companies, concerns arise about data breaches, unauthorized access, and potential misuse of sensitive information. Users may find themselves vulnerable to targeted advertising, manipulation, or even identity theft
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Protecting Your Personal Information
In light of these revelations, it's crucial for users to take proactive steps to safeguard their personal information. The FTC report offers several recommendations:
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Review privacy settings: Regularly check and update your privacy settings on social media platforms to limit the amount of information visible to the public
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Be cautious with shared information: Think twice before sharing sensitive personal details on social media platforms
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Use strong, unique passwords: Implement robust passwords for each of your social media accounts and consider using a password manager
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Enable two-factor authentication: Add an extra layer of security to your accounts by activating two-factor authentication whenever possible
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Be wary of third-party apps: Exercise caution when granting permissions to third-party applications that request access to your social media accounts
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Industry Response and Future Outlook
The FTC's report has sparked discussions within the tech industry and among policymakers about the need for stricter regulations and improved transparency in data collection practices. As awareness grows, it is likely that we will see increased scrutiny of social media platforms and potentially new legislation aimed at protecting user privacy in the digital age
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