Germany Bans the "Like" Button

[ImperialSunlight]

I'm actually starting to really like Germany right now. Social networking is a plague upon society.

Edit: I can't believe that pun wasn't intended >.<

 

[Sonicron]

Actually I am from Schleswig-Holstein and the Independent Center for Privacy Protection is actually a non government organisation wich is settled in every federal state seperatly.

But we in Schleswig Holstein have the most active for online security.
They are fonded by the government but have no obligation to do their bidding, they are just there to protect the people from data robbery ecetera...

We have some of the harshest privacy rules so we try to ensure our freedom.
In the modern times (now) you as a person can get tracked everywhere and german law forbids the tracking of your personal data without authorization.

So basicly, to make the "Like Button" work in german law, my guess would be, that they had to make a pop up box with the Information if it is okay to send your data. y/n

And this everytime you clicked the button.

So actually what they do is something wich is a tabu in my country.
Facebook sells your data as well, everyone knows and in the USA companies may have the law backing them up.

But if a german webpage sends those personalized information in the USA its data robbery without question.

Sry if my english isn't perfect.

First of all: Welcome to the Escapist, mein Landsmann. (High five for Schleswig-Holstein!)
Second: Your written English is quite good; better, in fact, than that of many native speakers.

Third, I agree on the data robbery thing. I didn't even know this level of insidiousness behind FB, but it's just one more piece of evidence to support my theory that Mark Zuckerberg is the fucking devil. Facebook may claim to be in compliance with our country's data protection laws, but I suppose the truth on that would have to be determined during the discovery process of a lawsuit (if it came to that).
Man, am I happy that I never made an account.

 

[lolmynamewastaken]

so by law germans aren't actually allowed to like ANYTHING anymore? well what a fun bunch they must be
Edit: did they ever like anything in the first place?
/rubbish jokes.

 

[Fayathon]

*snip*

I'm not laughing a Germany directly, just the notion that any government is getting riled up over a lack of privacy on a goddamn social network. Expecting privacy on a social network is a paradox of enormous proportions. Not meant to sound insensitive to matters of state that might be sore spots, just laughing at the irony in the statements made.

 

[robert01]

I think the reason most people "don't care" about these buttons, or what happens to their information is they don't actually know what is going on, or how any of it works. I bet even some of the more technologically smart people may not know that this is going on. On the surface it seems like a harmless button that allows you to like the most meaningless shit. Kudos for Germany for giving that cheeky cocksucker the big fuck you.

*snip*

I'm not laughing a Germany directly, just the notion that any government is getting riled up over a lack of privacy on a goddamn social network. Expecting privacy on a social network is a paradox of enormous proportions. Not meant to sound insensitive to matters of state that might be sore spots, just laughing at the irony in the statements made.

Here is the problem, Facebook isn't just a social network anymore. For a lot of companies it is a primary source of information for advertisement. And most of the privacy complaints now are about shit that shouldn't be tracked, stored, and sold by a social networking site. Of course information you post in the website is public, but why is it their right to drop tracking devices all over the internet to spy on you and track your browsing habits, shopping habits, and relay what whacked kind of porn you like, BACK to Facebook to sell to companies. To make it even worse those 'like' buttons track people that aren't even part of Facebook, they track anyone that has cookies enabled in their browser, which is a pain in the ass not to have enabled to say the least.

 

[Fayathon]

*snip*

Ah, see, I don't use, and will never use, Facebook for anything, so my understanding of a lot of the behind the scenes stuff is minimal at best. I suppose I'd be nice and angry about some of their practices, and it definitely makes what's going on in Germany make a hell of a lot more sense.

 

[Thedayrecker]

Hehehe, this is so silly! Facebook vs Germany!

Facebook is popular but it really has the pure strength of will to take on Germany?

Maybe... Russia on the other hand?

No.




capatcha:

What he fuck is that!

 

[King of the Sandbox]

Okay, where is the "like" button for this developement? lol.

Not that I care, since I still manage to keep away from facebook. I think I might be the only person left soon. XD

Same here. I'm a social site Luddite. I gave up after Friendster and then Myspace. I lol when i see stuff about Google+ now.

 

[brodie21]

first the Jews and now this?!?!? come on Germany!!

 

[Cheezeypoofs]

Thank God someone is doing something against Facebook. I know it's cliche to be anti-Facebook now... but screw it. I don't want corporations tailoring their ads to me, buying my information, or risk losing my job due to someone I know posting something unsavory on my wall. I "deleted" my Facebook 3 months ago and haven't looked back.

 

[orangeapples]

[Like]

I really do hope that social networking dies. It is such a waste. I have really reduced my usage over the past year mainly to use it as an e-mail system. I know my friends check their facebooks way more often than their actual e-mail so I get a much faster response.

I used to be on facebook all of the time, but I ended up deleting almost all of the information on it except photos, which are mostly just photos I'm tagged in... (though I am thinking of changing that...) I'd do the same to my myspace, but I do not remember the password and don't remember the email I used >.<

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

Jesus does germany like anything anymore?

/joke intended

OT: your information is out there anyways for the most part, and there are a billion ways to be social out there anyways, so i don't see what the point of banning simply facebooks like button.

 

[Mysnomer]

I was really disappointed with the comments below the article this time. Even if the majority are dumb, there's usually a few nuggets of wisdom. This time, nothing. The only intelligence was wasted refuting the unintelligent. Then I remembered where those comments came from. Pretty sad that people use facebook without a wary eye checking behind them.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Why don't they just block Facebook in their country then? If it bother them that it's getting their information, there isn't a single part of Facebook that they can allow. Just ban the damn thing as an illegal site.

 

[VincentX3]

You gotta like Germany and it's gibersh ways.

 

[KDR_11k]

Why don't they just block Facebook in their country then? If it bother them that it's getting their information, there isn't a single part of Facebook that they can allow. Just ban the damn thing as an illegal site.

The reasoning I heard on the radio was that since Facebook is located in the US our courts cannot reach them. Website owners with Facebook buttons are within our jurisdiction though. The "ban" here is not strictly "we ban buttons like X", it's "if you post a button like that you're in violation of existing laws". That stuff has been illegal since the beginning but it hasn't been enforced yet.

 

[Strazdas]

i never though germans will be the first ones, but its good that they did. the facebook vidgets are blocked from my computer for many years now and its sad that the escapist allows facebook login
atl east facebook has one use, dumb criminals tell police about what they did. makes me wonder what forced anyone with brain cells to use it though?