back to article Once again, Facebook champions privacy ... of its algorithms: Independent probe into Instagram shut down

AlgorithmWatch, a non-profit group based in Germany, said it has been forced to end its efforts to monitor Instagram's newsfeed after parent company Facebook intervened. In July, the advocacy organization shuttered its Instagram transparency project, launched in March, 2020, because of alleged veiled legal threats after …

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    Zuck being Zuck

    It reminds me of Apple's photo scanning. Zuck and Cook are basically saying:

    1) We can do it but other people can't so it meets our privacy standards.

    2) We're too big and rich for you to do anything about it.

    If I had to put a finger on it, I know which one I'd use.

  2. Mark 85
    Big Brother

    Privacy Issues? At Facebook?

    The only privacy issues I can think of is that Facebook wants all the users info and doesn't want to share it or let anyone know how much they have.

    Icon... well because.

  3. Pascal Monett Silver badge

    "The signatories of this letter believe in transparency – and so do we"

    Fine. Show us the letter you sent then and we'll be the judge.

    If you have nothing to hide . . .

  4. mark l 2 Silver badge

    The article says the data was collected via a browser extension, so therefore it doesn't appear that AlgorithmWatch was using any APIs either documented or otherwise to capture the data just whatever is sent to the browser? So how can Suckerberg claim this is breach of privacy?

    Of course its probably some line buried away in the 100s of pages of EOL along with the rights to your first born child.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Zuck & C. are attempting what all wannabe authoritarian rulers often attempt - trying to bend democratic rules against democracy itself.

      Now they're trying to go against FTC and GDPR because they see them as a big thread against themselves.

      Hope Schrem can soon get an injunction and a fine good enough to make Zuck cry,

  5. Eclectic Man Silver badge

    Privacy issues

    I wonder what exactly were the privacy issues FaceBook identified that were threatened by the data gathering.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Privacy issues

      " 'Old fool! Why, there is a large patch in the hollow of his left breast as bare as a snail out of its shell!' "

      FB must prevent the transition from unknown to known. We don't know what we don't know, and as long as we don't figure it out, Facebook profits and nothing can be proven.

  6. The Central Scrutinizer

    Yes we value your privacy so much that we'll sue your arse off if you even so much as dare to try to find out how much shit we collect about you. Facebook is such a lovey, caring company.

  7. ThatOne Silver badge
    Unhappy

    Well, but...

    > Independent probe into Instagram shut down

    Not really surprising, is it. They don't need even more bad image problems.

    The sad thing in this whole affair is that people might make clever jokes and disparaging remarks about the Facebook empire, but then they will nevertheless rush to Facebook/Instagram/Whatsapp to check what's new, feel they "belong", and get a whiff of the "real world"... Cognitive dissonance at it's most powerful.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Well, but...

      I just use it for one particular game, and occasionally for chatting with friends. Always run in a different browser that I don't use for anything else.

  8. Tomato42

    "Privacy for me, not for thee."

    Zuck should have his emotion chip readjusted, empathy setting is again at negative level.

  9. steviebuk Silver badge

    Still surprised that Zuck

    Has managed to keep control of the whole business all these years. But then if he owns most of the shares no one can do anything.

    Only way to bring down FaceCloth is to stop using it, unfortunately it will never happen as some people, not me, fine it useful.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Still surprised that Zuck

      FB has a shares structure that ensure Zuck has full control.

      Anyway as long as it churns out money nobody will ask Zuck's head.

  10. low_resolution_foxxes

    Haha. I use Facebook occasionally, I regularly review the privacy section and lock that down, refuse to enter any of the "likes" or "info" and refuse to use the app etc.

    I am under no illusion I am safe. But I must say Zuck has helped get me meet cute girls occasionally, and for that, I tolerate the horrid slurp of the damned website.

    I suspect if we were given a full insight into the creepy advertising methods used, it would be horrifying.

  11. John Savard

    Priorities

    The United States government should have prevented it from being necessary for AlgorithmWatch to take this action. If necessary, seize all of Facebook's assets. Then they won't be hiring any lawyers.

    Obviously, we need much stricter legislation to safeguard individual privacy, and mandate transparency from online companies that deal with personal data.

  12. xyz123 Silver badge

    Data collection went OK.

    Suddenly all hands to the pumps...get this SHUT DOWN NOW! AND DELETE EVERY BIT OF THEIR DATA!!! screamed Facebook lawyers.

    just exactly what were they about to discover? the fact that Facebook openly sells data to china and other dictatorships without de-anonymizing it?

    Whatever it was, is was terrible enough that the lawyers were pulled off lots of other ongoing cases to shut this down ASAP and hard.

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