'Duopoly' Grilled over Privacy Violations

Facebook must answer questions from Congress about failures over the data security of users of its 'closed' health groups; and has also withdrawn its controversial Onavo VPN app. Rival Google is under fire over a hidden microphone in its 'Nest' security devices.

This week it emerged that a group of health privacy experts, led by health IT researcher Fred Trotter and breast cancer patient group co-moderator Andrea Downing, have filed a complaint with the FTC accusing Facebook of misleading users about its privacy policy. The document says Facebook 'deceptively solicited patients to use its 'Groups' product to share personal health information about their health issues'; then failed to protect uploaded sensitive health data and exposed the information to the public. The group alleges that the data was leaked and the leak not reported - it states: 'Facebook has ignored our requests to fix the specific issues we have identified to the company and denies publicly that any problem exists. All of this represents unfair, deceptive and misleading interactions between Facebook and its users in violation of the FTC Act'.
ce has written to CEO Mark Zuckerberg looking for answers to 'a number of concerns about Facebook's privacy policies and practices'. It states: 'Labeling these groups as closed or anonymous potentially misled Facebook users into joining these groups and revealing more personal information than they otherwise would have. These groups were called closed groups and often had the word 'anonymous' in their name, suggesting that information shared within the group and even membership would be private... Facebook may have failed to properly notify group members that their personal health information may have been accessed by health insurance companies and online bullies, among others'.


Separately, Facebook is to remove its Onavo VPN app off the Google Play store, after it was revealed that it was used in a market research app which gathered data about teens. Onavo's MR functions will be shut down immediately, and its VPN functions will follow after a short interval giving users time to make alternative arrangements. The app was barred from the AppStore after it was found to breach Apple's Enterprise Certificate Program. According to news site techcrunch.com, 'That led Apple to ban the Research app from iOS and invalidate Facebook's certificate. This shut down Facebook's internal iOS collaboration tools, pre-launch test versions of its popular apps, and even its lunch menu and shuttle schedule to break for 30 hours'.

Data from Onavo, which Facebook bought in 2013, was reportedly key in persuading the social network to shell out $19 billion for WhatsApp. A Facebook spokesman said of the latest development: 'Market research helps companies build better products for people. We are shifting our focus to reward-based market research which means we're going to end the Onavo program'.


Meanwhile a number of US politicians including California Senator Kamala Harris and Virginia Senator Mark Warner have been weighing in over Google's failure to let consumers know that its Nest home security devices include a hidden microphone.

Until this Tuesday, consumers were not told that there was a microphone embedded in the 'Nest Guard' hub of Google's Nest Secure home security product. Google says the microphone was not enabled, but admitted this week: 'The on-device microphone was never intended to be a secret and should have been listed in the tech specs. That was an error on our part'. Mention of the microphone has been added to the product's online spec this week.

Harris told www.businessinsider.com , 'Americans shouldn't have to fear that the products in their home could be spying on them' and added: ''It's easier to ask for forgiveness than seek permission' or 'it's in the fine print' are not workable privacy policies, but they're ones that tech companies routinely fall back on'.

Warner, who is Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said Google's failure to disclose the components of its security device was 'totally at odds with consumer expectations'. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry told the publication: 'Google is probably the most legal and tech savvy company in the world. For them to say 'oops, we forgot' is disingenuous at best'.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.