When Facebook’s new search function Graph Search was released earlier this month, it raised some eyebrows among both privacy watchdog groups and casual users alike. The new tool lets users search based on tags, Likes and posts that their friends have made, peeling away yet another layer of Facebook users’ online privacy and anonymity. However,…

Earlier this year, Facebook controversially eliminated the ability for users to vote on the site’s policy changes. Many users weren’t aware of their right to do this in the first place, but it still caused a minor uproar, and Facebook promised users frequent web chats to increase communications and to answer any privacy questions they…

Today (Jan. 28) is the 6th annual Data Privacy Day, a day dedicated to controlling your digital footprint and drawing attention to the privacy risks that people across the world encounter. Two privacy reports released this week by Microsoft and Google show that people have more cause than ever before to be concerned about online tracking and data…

A 2008 Indiana law prohibited certain sex offenders from using any social media that was also used by minors. However, that law has now been overturned by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago on the grounds that the law constituted a “blanket ban” and a violation of free speech rights. The judges…

In a story first brought to light by Minneapolis-based developer Craig Condon and given further credence by Forbes Magazine, a troubling aspect of Facebook’s Related Posts has been discovered. Facebook seems to be taking the liberty to use ‘liked’ content in order to promote Related Posts on the Timelines of that user’s friends. For instance,…

Storify is a popular online curation tool that gathers pictures, status updates, videos and more into one convenient place. However, Julie Pippert, founder of Artful Media Group, discovered a loophole in the service that allows private Facebook statuses to be made public via the tool. The app can pull private Facebook statuses from groups despite…

More than 2.5 million people who have tried DoNotTrackPlus (DNT+) to stop online tracking (and if you were one of them, thanks!). Now, we’re excited to announce that DNT+ has become DoNotTrackMe (DNTMe). It’s the same free privacy tool you know and love, but with some terrific upgrades: Stronger tracker-blocking. DNTMe stops more than 50…

Facebook introduced “Graph Search” on Tuesday, a new search technology that allows users to search and filter through content that has already been shared by their friends. For instance, if you wanted to know the best deli on a certain block in Manhattan, you could search through your friends’ posts and tags to see if…

One of Facebook’s primary goals is to keep the use of its site free. However, recent tussles between Facebook and European privacy lawmakers may force them to charge European users of the site for access. The crux of the issue is the lack of consent Facebook offers its users for targeted advertising. Many European privacy…

Facebook, Apple and Microsoft have thrown their considerable weight behind ACT 4 Apps, a trade association for online application developers that seeks to educate them on how to protect user privacy with their products. The initiative, run by the Association for Competitive Technology, aims to bring privacy experts to app developer events to speak to…