Canada’s privacy commissioner is launching an investigation into whether Facebook is breaking the law when it passes on sensitive personal information to advertisers and other profit-making companies without securing meaningful consent.

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The complaint, filed Friday by law students interning at the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic, alleges 21 other violations under Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

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“Much of the information shared on Facebook could be sensitive, including marital status, age, hobbies and photographs. Given the advent of cyberstalking and cyberharassment, the sharing of this information without express consent is especially problematic. Cyber stalkers could potentially target by age, hobbies or preferences,” states the complaint.

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Other alleged violations include failing to destroy the personal information of users who shutdown their Facebook accounts, failing to safeguard it from unauthorized access, failing to provide a valid opt-out consent to share personal information, and limiting its collection necessary for its stated purposes. Read More….

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