WHWG Perspectives

Facebook is now facing a likely federal investigation following the revelation that its cookies can track users Web surfing after they logged out of the world’s most popular social networking site.  The worst outcome of such an investigation would be onerous legislation that would stifle innovation.

The call for the Federal Trade Commission to investigate, however, is a positive sign for people who care about privacy and innovation.  While the FCC is notorious for seeking to employ powers it does not statutorily possess, the FTC has a long record of judicious use of its power.  Regulation of some sort is inevitable in the privacy arena.  Best it be a one-stop shop at the FTC.

Facebook is almost certainly telling the truth when it says it made an inadvertent mistake when it placed cookies on our machines that can track where we go on the Web by our unique identifier.

Facebook is also probably telling the truth when it says that has not stored or used this information.

The fact remains, what can be done, will be done.  The current privacy paradigm is simply not sustainable.