Privacy watchdog files complaint

The Electronic Privacy Information Center files a complaint with the FTC against Facebook for conducting psychological experiments on its users without their knowledge or permission:

At the time of the experiment, Facebook did not state in the Data Use Policy that user data would be used for research purposes. Facebook also failed to inform users that their personal information would be shared with researchers.

Facebook responds:

When someone signs up for Facebook, we’ve always asked permission to use their information to provide and enhance the services we offer. To suggest we conducted any corporate research without permission is complete fiction.  Companies that want to improve their services use the information their customers provide, whether their privacy policy uses the word ‘research’ or not.