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Irish DPC: Facebook now in compliance

Friday, September 21 16:05:47

Ireland's Data Protection Commission today said that social media giant, Facebook, is now in compliance with most - though not all - of its directives regarding the privacy of users' data.

"Most of the recommendations have been fully implemented to our full satisfaction," according to deputy commissioner Gary Davis in the report detailing the review of Facebook's policy changes.

There is better transparency for the user, better control over user settings and an enhanced ability for users to delete data and clear retention periods for deleted personal data, according to the review.

It said that there are also improvements to users' rights to have ready access to their personal data and the capacity of Facebook to ensure "rigorous assessment of compliance with Irish and E.U. data protection requirements," he said.

However, there are a small number of issues outstanding in relation to informing new users and fully deleting accounts beyond all doubt.

The social network has a policy of allowing users to initially deactivate an account with a period where the user can then change their mind.

Commissioner Billy Hawkes has asked Facebook to implement a policy where users' accounts are fully deleted 40 days after a request.

It said Facebook is complying with this request in relation to personal data, but there is a complicated issue in relation to input to group activity.

Facebook has promised to rectify this by early 2013.

The recommendations were originally contained in an audit report published in December.

Since then, officials have met with Facebook executives and twice reviewed operations at Facebook's offices.

The commissioner has jurisdiction over the social network's users outside of the USA and Canada due to the location of Facebook's European headquarters in Dublin.