Canada's Office of the Privacy Commissioner (the
Commissioner) has released its findings after investigating
complaints against Facebook relating to its "Suggested
Friends" feature (Feature). The three complainants were
non-users of Facebook, who each received an email from Facebook
with an invitation to join. The email was sent on behalf of a
Facebook user they knew. The invitation included a list of
"suggested friends." Given the accuracy of the
"suggested friends" list, the complainants alleged
Facebook improperly accessed their (or their friends') private
information, and appeared to be maintaining personal profiles of
non-users without their knowledge and consent.
It was found that Facebook does not, and cannot, access the
address books of non-Facebook users through its Feature. There was
also no evidence that Facebook tracked or stored the personal
information of non-users, or shared information of non-users with
third parties. Nevertheless, the Commissioner
