Thread by @PrivacyMatters

1/ I took quick look at the Facebook Portal portal.facebook.com

As usual, the devil is in the ambiguities of what Facebook says & of course what it doesn’t say. After all, this is a company that has mastered #DeceptiveByDesign approach, to privacy (think #WhatsApp)

2/ #FacebookPortal Facebook says the Portal is 'Private by Design’ and was "created with privacy .. in mind.” Well, that depends on what you mean by 'private’ and ‘privacy’.

It’s not ‘private’ in the sense that you can't prevent Facebook hoovering up all your data.

3/ Let’s check a few of the Facebook Portal FAQs. But first, having a Facebook device in your living room or bedroom is like putting Dracula in charge of the blood-bank.

#DataVampires

4/ FAQ: Does Portal have ads?

Facebook states that the "Portal does not have Facebook ads at this time”

NOTE .. ‘at this time’ - so expect Ads .. and what feeds and is the lifeblood of Facebook? Human data

#DataVampires

5/ #FacebookPortal FAQ

"Some third-party services on Portal (e.g., music partners) may embed ads in their content in the same way they do when providing their services on other devices” - EXCEPT will Facebook negotiates access to the Portal device & availability on the platform?

6/ #FacebookPortal FAQ "What kind of privacy controls does Portal have?”

"Portal was created with privacy, safety and security in mind. It has clear and simple settings, so you always stay in control.” <this is disingenuous - those controls relate to device access & camera/mic

7/ ‘privacy controls’ are important - do they extend to the the ability to control .. to prevent .. Facebook using what will be richly delayed metadata generated by the use of a Portal?

8/ what the FAQ on Privacy Controls does not address or reveal is what are the privacy defaults? It doesn’t address what data is exfiltrated from the device, why and who it used by beyond the transmissions of communications for example. Art 25 GDPR will be interesting.

9/ At least 'turned off' by default is home location setting.

BUT, what are the contacts, default settings? "Portal is designed to help you connect more often with your loved ones. With Portal, you can only call, and be called by, your connections on Facebook and Messenger” ..

10/ note the language "Portal is DESIGNED to help you connect MORE OFTEN with your loved ones” (my emphasis). Facebook is the master of nudging behaviour ….. so, the defaults here will be interesting

11/ The #FacebookPortal does NOT have a standalone privacy policy. It is subject to the Legal Documents : Facebook Terms of Service and Privacy Policy portal.facebook.com/legal/policies/

Yes, "my precious Portal. Your data are mine all mine” #DataVampires

12/ I asked #FacebookPortal "if there a privacy policy unique to the Facebook Portal?” And "What data does facebook collect about my use of a Portal and will that data be shared with other Facebook companies (if, yes, which ones?)”

They replied …. 13/

13/ "We only collect the data we believe is necessary to provide a great experience also to let your friends know when you're available to talk” <maybe this is what Facebook thinks is data minimisation 🤔

"The Privacy Policy for Portal is the same for Facebook .."

14/ "You can check on this website portal.facebook.com/privacy for any more in depth question about the privacy policy” and which takes you to the Facebook Data facebook.com/policy/

15/ So unless Facebook is providing #FacebookPortal users with the means to prevent the sharing of data between Facebook Companies for a very broad range of purposes then those users can expect the #DataVampires to feast ..

16/ the Facebook Data Policy states "We collect information about the people, Pages, accounts, hashtags and groups that you are connected to and how you interact with them across our Products, such as people you communicate with the most or groups that you are part of ..”

17/ so a user of a #FacebookPortal communications device (ostensibly) must expect Facebook to collect a broad range of intimate data, including metadata, and use the information to support the 'Facebook Products and related services’

18/ "We connect information about your activities on different Facebook Products and devices to provide a more tailored and consistent experience on all Facebook Products that you use, wherever you use them. "

19/ “Location-related information: We use location-related information – such as your current location, where you live, the places you like to go, and the businesses and people you're near – to provide, personalise and improve our Products, including ads, for you and others” /20

20/ Note the altruistic use of the term “for you and OTHERS” (my emphasis). So who are these others that YOUR DATA is serving.

"Product research and development: We use the information we have to develop, test and improve our Products"

21/ "Ads and other sponsored content: We use the information we have about you – including information about your interests, actions and connections – to select and personalise ads, offers and other sponsored content that we show you.”

Remember, Facebook only said the Portal /22

22/ “Portal does not have Facebook ads at this time.” So, tweet 21, becomes even more relevant.

#DataVampires

23/ "We may share information about you within our family of companies to facilitate, support and integrate their activities and improve our services”

Facebook Products facebook.com/help/156148547…

24/ "The Facebook Products also include Facebook Business Tools, which are tools used by website owners and publishers, app developers, business partners (including advertisers) and their customers to support business services and exchange information with Facebook …” 25/

25/ " such as social plugins (like the "Like" or "Share" button) and our SDKs and APIs.”

On #FacebookPortal You’re the product .. a human data bank for #DataVampires

26/ When you place an order for a #FacebookPortal, UNLESS you scroll down and notice the faint grey text ‘privacy policy’ then there’s no information about data use … BUT … 27/

27/ But hey, remember Facebook loves ya, that’s why they called for a 'New Paradigm for Personal Data’ back in 2106 and even wrote a report .. no joke .. honest ctrl-shift.co.uk/news/2016/06/2…

28/ the report argues "Most people have little knowledge or understanding of what data is collected about them or how it is used” … no kidding Sherlock .. here’s how Facebook addressed that problem in 2106 on the #WhatsApp privacy policy change .. 29/

29/ I’m waiting for the next report 'A New Paradigm for Personal Data: #DeceptiveByDesign

Authored by the #DataVampirePortal

30/ and just in "Facebook just admitted that Portal is completely capable of collecting data about you and using that data to target ads” gizmodo.com/facebook-final… <Of course it is. They didn’t say it wasn't. They said .. 31/

31/ "Portal does not have Facebook ads at this time.” portal.facebook.com/privacy/ the clue is in “at this time”

32/ and as a communications device, the #FacebookPortal is built on the messenger platform .. so think LOTS OF METADATA .. which is subject to the main Facebook Data Policy en-gb.facebook.com/policy.php which is kind of lite on precisely what data it harvests from messenger

33/ Anyways, that’s it for now.

Be careful of those #DataVampires

‘2016'

34/ and don’t forget, Facebook relies on a mixture of ‘consent’ and ‘legitimate interests’ and on the fact most people wont clicl ‘learn more about these legal bases ..” and if they do, giving up the will to live when presented with the page of dense text.

#DataVampires

35/ and lets not forget, in a report on a new personal data paradigm Facebook argued "Most people have little knowledge or understanding of what data is collected about them or how it is used”

Erm. Quite and Facebook are the masters at this

https://twitter.com/PrivacyMatters/status/1052574329404317696

36/ I asked Facebook to clarify responses to questions I asked day

https://twitter.com/PrivacyMatters/status/1052560147447508992

You’ll recall they said the standard Facebook Data Policy applies to the #FacebookPortal After asking further questions, FB now say …. 37/

37/ Facebook now says " We're finalizing our Portal specific Data Policy which is a supplement to the Facebook Data Policy and it will be available when Portals are available for purchase.” 🤔🤔🤔🤔

The ‘Portal’ is ALREADY available for purchase 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

Oh Facebook.

38/ I checked again. #FaceboookPortal is available for pre-order in the US w/delivery of 19 Nov. FB says "We're finalizing our Portal specific Data Policy which is a supplement to the Facebook Data Policy and it will be available when Portals are available for purchase” ERM; No.