Facebook accused of Violating Privacy Laws in Germany

CALIFORNIA - The German official for data protection matters, accusing Facebook has been using facial recognition software, which is basically illegal in Germany and Europe.

Johannes Caspar, a leading data protection expert from Hamburg, Germany, calling the giant social networking site based in California to remove the site from which biometric data has been collected by them. Similarly, as quoted by AFP on Thursday (08/04/2011).

"If the data a user falls into the wrong hands, it is possible to compare and identify anyone who was photographed using a mobile phone," said Caspar.

Programs that are blamed by Caspar allows Facebook users to track 'Friend' after discovering a new identity through a biometric scan data.

The program is trying to match the data captured through photographs, the database collected from millions of Facebook users.

"This is the problem. The program is intended to track the physical identity of millions of their users," said Caspar.

Furthermore, Caspar said that Facebook collects and stores biometric data without the permission of the user, which is regarded as a violation of law.

German state which is known for outspoken on the issue of Internet privacy, has previously been criticized Google over Street View their products.

Previously the Germans had also urged for Facebook to improve privacy protection for users, especially in the Friend Finder feature, which allows them to register or even import the email address book overall user without their knowledge.

In January, Facebook has agreed to inform users that they got the address of the user's account that they make.

Posted in: Internet