Facebook’s ultimate strength is its title as the “largest social network platform”, and advertisers are eager to reach their markets through this globally recognized company. With the continuous growth of social networking and online marketing, Facebook is looking at an enormous figure of profit. In fact, a large amount of Facebook’s profit is generated through selling users’ data to marketers.
The New York Times article, written by Vindu Goel and Edward Wyatt, “Facebook Privacy Change Is Subject of F.T.C Inquiry” talks about the most recent Facebook privacy policy update and its possible violation to an US Federal Trade Commission (F.T.C) agreement. Although users have clicked “I Agree” to every word of a privacy consent agreement they have not read, is it ethical for Facebook to fully expose its users’ personal information to generate profit? Is there a defined limit on how much information can be exposed?
Disregarding the possible legal violation of the F.T.C agreement, Facebook is ethical in its right to use users’ personal information. This is because Facebook has achieved its social responsibilities in providing benefits to all stakeholders. Facebook users get to network on the largest online platform, marketers gain access to more information through this social network market leader, and last but not least, Facebook is generating revenue and creating job opportunities. Some may argue that Facebook is overexposing users’ personal information, but they forget the fact that each user has agreed to the privacy consent prior using Facebook for the first time. Besides, it is the user’s decision to how much information he would like to share. Each status, each photo, each piece of information is updated by the user on his own will. Facebook is simply using one’s previously uploaded information, which by the privacy agreement, Facebook gains the legal ownership.
Facebook’s possible violation to the US Federal Trade Comission agreement is to be investigated, but by the definition of social responsibilities, Facebook has not violated business ethics.
“Facebook Privacy Change Is Subject of F.T.C Inquiry”