14 DAY TRIAL // Belgium's Commission for the Protection of Privacy has officially sued Facebook over alleged violations of the country’s and EU’s privacy laws.
While the two parties were involved in a twirling tango for months, trying to outsmart each other and get more facts about their opponent, the Belgian agency has apparently had enough and is now officially on the attack.
Concerns about Facebook's privacy policy are global, not just limited to Belgium
The issue the commission was most concerned about is how Facebook seems to collect information on all of the users who get in touch with any kind of Facebook data, even remotely.
This doesn't only include users with registered Facebook accounts but also visitors to any page that has a Facebook Like button embedded on it.
Facebook is well known for doing this, and the data it records on unregistered users eventually makes its way into the company's services one way or another.
This happens when the users end up registering, using the information to suggest possible friendships and pages to follow, or to deliver advertising when visiting Facebook pages, even if still unregistered.
The Belgium Commission for the Protection of Privacy will not back down
Collecting all kinds of information on Facebook's part and doing it without having the user in question grant permission in any way is in total opposition to the EU's privacy laws, which Belgium wants to fully apply inside its borders.
The discussions between Facebook and the commission have been going on for almost a year, and the Belgian privacy watchdog has also been in contact with similar agencies from France, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands.
According to FlandersNews.be, sources close to the commission view this case as a "flagrant and massive" violation of Belgian privacy laws.
The first court hearing is scheduled for this Thursday, and other lawsuits may follow in other countries as well.