Facebook To Make Changes To Comply With Canadian Privacy Laws

On August 27, 2009, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) announced that Facebook, the world's largest social networking site, has agreed to make significant changes to the manner in which it collects and safeguards the personal information of individuals. This agreement, reached over one year after the original complaint against Facebook was made, is significant not only as it relates to Facebook's operations, but also for the clear message it sends to all organizations, both Canadian and foreign, that compliance with Canada's privacy laws must not be taken lightly.

Background

The OPC's investigation into the practices of Facebook was initiated in response to a complaint filed with the OPC by the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic (CIPPIC) dated May 30, 2008¹. In its complaint, the CIPPIC alleged that Facebook was engaged in "unnecessary and non-consensual collection and use of personal information" and in doing so, was in