Social networks are always the subject of criticism, as it is easy to circumvent the regulations on surreptitious advertising, data protection, and the like on the Internet. Facebook, for example, has long been accused of being a “data octopus,” and since the EU data protection necessary regulation came into force, it has been the subject of several accusations. Here you can read what users should consider protecting their personal information in the social media settings and what the current legal situation is like.
Considerations during registration – What is the purpose of social media?
If you decide to create a profile on a social network such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Snapchat, you should do the registration process carefully and calmly. Later, after posts have been published, it’s often harder to keep track of who can see which position.
To better protect your own identity, it is advisable to create a separate e-mail address for use in social networks when registering. The profile name should also consist of a pseudonym rather than the correct name in the ID document. Also, it is essential to consider the purpose of the registration for each setting. Is it a private account, for example, to contact friends or a business self-portrayal? In the former case, a few people as possible should be able to see their contributions, while public posts are useful for a business profile.
Privacy and security is probably the most critical issue on significant platforms such as Facebook and Co. – DeSight Studio helps companies act in a privacy-compliant manner.
Privacy Settings – How can I protect my data myself?
The privacy settings, as they are called on Facebook, should be read very carefully. The following aspects are particularly relevant for the private use of social media profiles:
Display in search engines
If you google your name, you will quickly find out whether your social media account is displayed as a hit in search engines. To protect your privacy, this can be prevented with the right settings.
Hide contact details
When registering, it is necessary to enter your contact details in your profile. However, you can restrict the visibility of other users.
Visibility of content
Different publishing options can be selected for each type of content. Whether for profile pictures, posts, or your friends – you can decide whether everyone, nobody or only certain people have access to this information.
Privacy policy – What does the law say?
In Germany, two relevant legislations apply concerning data security: the Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). They are also aimed at social networks as soon as they process information from EU citizens. However, the correct application of the laws by social media platforms can be disputed.
For example, there is the specification for the data protection declaration in which the user may object to the collection of his data. Also, the prohibition of coupling states that the conclusion of a contract must not be linked to the consent to data processing. Nevertheless, a contradiction in social networks leads to the deletion of the respective account. Such and other circumstances are the reason why Facebook is repeatedly legally attacked.
Professional association of the right journalists registered the association.
The Berufsverband der Rechtsjournalisten e.V. created this guest article and published by DeSight Studio GmbH. The BvDR registered association is the union of right journalists and attorneys from Germany, who publish legal contributions to most diverse topics on the portals anwalt.org, scheidung.org, abmahnung.org, and rechtsanwaltfachangestellte.org.