The FTC has just published the results of a comprehensive study on social media sites after four years of investigation, revealing that many engage in extensive surveillance to monetize personal information, affecting both adults and youth. This revelation may not be surprising, with the adage “if you’re not paying, you’re the product” in mind, but the level of surveillance uncovered is still shocking. Companies were found to collect and indefinitely retain vast amounts of data, share data with inadequate security measures, and not fully comply with deletion requests. Additionally, privacy-invasive technologies like tracking pixels were used for targeted advertising. Users had little control over how their data was used by automated systems, which lacked consistent monitoring. The report also highlighted inadequate protection for children and teens, contributing to negative mental health impacts. The FTC attributes these issues to profit-driven models and proposes legislation to limit surveillance and enhance privacy protections, calling for greater transparency and age-appropriate privacy measures for young users. This report, while not entirely new information, sheds light on the concerning practices of major social media and streaming companies, with recommendations for improvement. The full report and companies involved can be found in the FTC’s publication.
