The biggest social media platform in the face of the planet has decided to rewrite parts of its Terms of Service as well as its Data Use Policy. Basically what Facebook is doing this time around is allow for more clarification with regards to how it collects and uses people’s data. Facebook users are given a whole week in order to provide their feedback regarding the rewritten sections. After seven days, the company will then request every member of its massive user base to give their consent to the first set of new terms in three years.
No doubt about it, the new changes that Facebook has introduced to its Terms of Service and Data Use Policy will be dissected and discussed thoroughly in the next few days. But the social media giant does deserve some credit for taking the time to explain the specifics of how it goes about with data collection from users’ mobile devices in plain English.
So which specifics exactly? These include information on a handset’s mobile operating system, version of hardware and software, status of battery power, signal strength, memory capacity, type of web browser used, mobile app and file names and types, and plug ins. On top of that, Facebook also gathers data related to the operations and behaviors performed on a computer, smartphone or tablet, like movements of a mouse, whether that window is running in the background or in the foreground.
Part of the data collection also involves accessing identifiers, which could apply to handset IDs, and other unique identifiers that may be assigned to mobile apps and games, accounts that users have, and even Family Device identifiers. Facebook also discloses that it obtains information with regards to device signals, including those associated with Bluetooth connectivity, Wi-Fi access points, beacons, and cellular sites.
Information on device settings and permissions are also collected, including access to GPS (global positioning system) data, camera, and images, all with the consent of the user. Telecoms related data like the name of the carrier, Internet service provider (ISP), time zone, phone number, IP address, download and upload speed, and other connected devices or gadgets nearby. Finally, data related to cookie IDs and settings are also gathered.
Facebook also took the time to shed some light on how new services work, including features like Marketplace, fund raisers, Live, 360, and camera effects. Additionally, the social media giant has put up a new Music Use Policy, which is no surprise considering how it is looking to forge partnerships with various major record label companies.
