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Facebook he uses, or not, geolocation to suggest new friends to its users? Confusion reigned for a few days around this thorny issue: after confirming this information, which triggered a number of negative responses, the company is finally retracted
what was said initially Facebook
it all started with the publication Monday, June 27, an article on the fusion site, which ensures that through “geolocation of smartphone users, the social network may suggest you make friends with someone who has had the same GPS position you” at the same time as you.
According to Fusion, a spokesman for Facebook confirmed that geographically was part of the various factors to suggest a new friend. He said that “only geolocation data are insufficient to indicate that two people could be friends.”
Why this poses he problem?
The publication of this article provoked many negative reactions. “This could explain why some friends asked me how unknown that hitting on them in bars appear in their friends for suggestions” says a journalist specialized Engadget on Twitter. She added that many journalists came to her in panic to see that Facebook recommended their sources as friends.
Because even combined with other factors, this system may represent “a disaster for privacy “, says Fusion. A meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, for example, and may not remain anonymous for long if the names of people cross, which you only know the faces, appear on Facebook in the suggestions of friends.
the Facebook coaster
on Monday night, the spokesman of Facebook has contacted Fusion, “saying the company had dug the matter further and concluded that the geolocation was not used “ reports the site. Here is the statement that Facebook has made:
“We do not use location data, such as the location of your device, or location information that you add to your profile, to suggest people you may know. “
The company provided the same explanation, in the same terms, the World . Facebook said in Fusion that confusion came from a test performed briefly by the social network, which actually was to suggest friends based on geolocation data. This test lasted only four weeks in 2015 and would have concerned a small part of its users.
What say Terms of use Facebook
the Facebook site briefly discusses the functionality “perhaps you know …” and explained that the social network suggests people “based on your mutual friends, your work or studies, networks you belong to, the contacts you have imported and other factors” , without elaborating on these other factors.
However, when active on their smartphone geolocation on Facebook, a message appears indicating that the social network is used to “help people orient themselves, find friends, and more yet “
This message is slightly different in the English version of the application. ” Facebook uses this to help people find places, connect with friends and more »
it’s hard to see clearly with these apparently contradictory information. That said, it is not impossible that formulation “find friends” match the functionality, little known, “close friends” .
If the user activates it allows its the friends who also activated to know where he is – whether by him or the other side of the world. This raises others regarding privacy.
What?
The best in doubt, is to check if geotagging is enabled on your Facebook application. Go to More & gt; Settings & gt; Account Settings & gt; Place, or directly in the privacy settings and location of your phone. You can then decide if you want to disable the location to Facebook and functionality “friends near”
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