Social media and streaming service companies such as Facebook and YouTube collect personal information and monitor users more than expected, according to an analysis. On the 19th, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released a research report on the collection and use of user data by 13 platforms including Facebook, Instagram (operated by Meta), YouTube, TikTok, and Twitch.
The report stated, “After analyzing data collection, usage, and storage methods over the past four years, it was found that these companies extensively monitor users and profit by selling personal information for targeted advertisements.” While most platforms claim to block users under 13, the report found this is often not enforced. Accordingly, it was revealed that “many applications treated adolescents as adults and collected personal information.”
Personal information included the user’s age and gender, as well as their language, education level, income, and marital status. The problem is that there was no detailed explanation of how users could refuse to collect personal information. In many cases, sensitive information was stored for much longer than users thought. The FTC also pointed out that self-regulation was a failure, as the company’s own enforcement efforts were also ineffective. The report emphasized the urgent need to regulate personal data collection and usage. The chairman of the FTC, Lina Khan said that surveillance practices put people’s privacy at risk and threaten their freedom. Also, that users could be exposed to a variety of harms, from identity theft to stalking. In addition, The New York Times reported that while there have been many proposals for stricter privacy and child protection, most legislative attempts to regulate Big Tech have failed.
However, Google countered the report by saying that its privacy policies are among the strictest in the industry. A Google representative insisted that Google does not sell personal information and does not use sensitive information to serve ads. Furthermore, it does not serve targeted ads to people who watch children’s content on YouTube.
