Policy Observatory
Facebook changes its targeting to appease the French Data Protection Authority
The CNIL said Facebook's tracking of non-users by placing cookies on their browser without informing them when they visit a Facebook page did not comply with French privacy law. It also said that Facebook uses cookies that collect information and is then used for advertising without Internet users' consent. CNIL also stated that Facebook users should have the option of preventing the social network from profiling them in order to serve them personalized ads. In response, the social network states that the tracking of non-users is done for commercial and not security purposes as previously claimed. Facebook put in place additional control tools which enables compliance with CNIL’s requirement for the data subject’s consent. Users can now request that Facebook advertisements do not appear outside the social network while non-users can request not to be tracked by filling a form on the website of the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance.
Country: France
Domains: Privacy
Stakeholder: Government
Tags: privacy, personalized ads, consent, European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance, France, data protection, social media, tracking, browser information, cookies, CNIL, tracking of non-users