Facebook Taken To Court In Belgium Over Privacy

[ButIFeelGood]

Facebook Taken To Court In Belgium Over Privacy

A privacy watchdog says Facebook tracks Internet users whether or not they are members of the social network.

15:49 Tuesday 16 June 2015

People pose with mobile devices in front of projection of Facebook logo in this picture illustration taken in Zenica

Facebook is being taken to court for tracking users - including people who are not members of the social network.

Belgium's privacy watchdog has filed a suit against the US tech giant in the main civil court in Brussels.

Last month, the watchdog said that Facebook "flouts European and Belgian law in the area of privacy" and said several recommendations made have been ignored by Facebook.

The watchdog says Facebook tracks internet users whether or not they are members of the social network.

Users are tracked using browser cookies which are left on a computer when someone clicks like or share on a website.

The Belgian watchdog recommends that operators of internet sites use "a two-click solution" to obtain the explicit consent of visitors before latter say click "like" or "share".

Facebook's European headquarters are in Dublin and it says it only accepts Irish privacy laws outside of the US.

The Dublin HQ registers all accounts outside the United States and Canada - making up some 80% of Facebook's 1.35 billion users.

The case is due to be heard on Thursday.

A Facebook spokeswoman in Europe, Tina Kulow, was quoted by the Belga news agency as saying the firm was "surprised" and "disappointed" that the watchdog was taking it to court even though there was a meeting planned between the two.