Is Facebook ethical?

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Education Confirmed

Facebook plans 100k scholarships for Black students

Facebook plans 100,000 scholarships for Black students on track to attain digital skills certification and launches a new feature called Lift Black Voices.

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thehill.com
The company additionally plans 100,000 scholarships to black students on track to attain their digital skills certification, as well as the launch of a new Facebook feature entitled Lift Black Voices.
engadget.com
Some of Facebook's other plans to address racial inequality include providing free training to Black and Latinx individuals through a program called Elevate, giving 100,000 scholarships to Black students in its Facebook Blueprint program and donating $5 million to over 250,000 Facebook Fundraisers created for the Equal Justice Initiative, Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the Innocence Project.

Labor & working conditions Confirmed

Facebook raises U.S. contract worker wage to $20/hour

Facebook raises minimum wage for U.S. contract workers to $20 per hour.

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variety.com
Facebook is going to sell its army of content reviewers a higher hourly wage and additional counseling opportunities, the company announced Monday morning.
yahoo.com
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Facebook (FB.O) raised wages for its contract workers, such as cafeteria staff and janitors, to a minimum of $15 per hour amid rising tension over the wage gap between the technology sector's elite and the lower-paid workers.
yahoo.com
Facebook raises minimum wage for U.S. contract workers to $20 per hour
Facebook last raised minimum wages for contract workers in 2015 to $15 per hour in its bid to narrow the widening gap between the technology sector's elite and the lower-paid workers.

Labor & working conditions Confirmed

Facebook raises hourly pay for Menlo Park workers

Facebook implemented the wage increase for some workers at its Menlo Park headquarters as of May 1.

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yahoo.com
Facebook implemented the wage increase for some workers at its Menlo Park headquarters as of May 1.
Facebook raises minimum pay for contractors to $15 per hour

Climate & energy Confirmed

Facebook cuts greenhouse-gas emissions

Facebook has cut its greenhouse gas emissions significantly over the past few years.

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cbsnews.com
Over the past few years, Facebook has cut its greenhouse gas emissions significantly.

Workplace equity Confirmed

Facebook releases diversity figures

Facebook released diversity figures showing its US workforce was 2% Black in 2014.

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cnn.com
In 2014, when the company first began releasing diversity figures, Facebook’s US workforce was 2% Black.

Privacy & surveillance Proposed settlement

Facebook proposed settlement over minimizes data collection

For example, the proposed order requires Facebook to (1) implement reasonable procedures to ensure that deleted data cannot be accessed by third parties after a reasonable period of time, not to exceed thirty days, following its deletion and (2) as part of its comprehensive privacy program, consider and address any reasonably foreseeable, material privacy risks related to its retention of users’ covered information.

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ftc.gov
In particular, regarding the deletion of users’ information, the proposed order requires Facebook to (1) implement reasonable procedures to ensure that deleted data cannot be accessed by third parties after a reasonable period of time, not to exceed thirty days, following its deletion and (2) as part of its comprehensive privacy program, consider and address any reasonably foreseeable, material privacy risks related to its retention of users’ covered information.
Lastly, regarding the deletion of users’ information, the proposed order will require Facebook to (1) implement reasonable procedures to ensure that deleted data cannot be accessed by third parties after a reasonable period of time, not to exceed thirty days, following its deletion and (2) as part of its comprehensive privacy program, consider and address any reasonably foreseeable, material privacy risks related to its retention of users’ covered information.
For example, the proposed order requires Facebook to (1) implement reasonable procedures to ensure that deleted data cannot be accessed by third parties after a reasonable period of time, not to exceed thirty days, following its deletion and (2) as part of its comprehensive privacy program, consider and address any reasonably foreseeable, material privacy risks related to its retention of users’ covered information.

Privacy & surveillance Proposed settlement

Facebook proposed settlement over limits tracking without consent

• Facebook cannot use phone numbers it received specifically for security purposes for advertising.

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search.ftc.gov
• Facebook cannot use phone numbers it received specifically for security purposes for advertising.
congress.gov
Congressional Research Service 3 affirmatively required Facebook to obtain users’ consent before sharing their information in a manner materially exceeding “the restrictions imposed by a user’s privacy setting(s).” Facebook was further obligated to adopt a “comprehensive privacy program” designed to assess privacy risks and to “protect the privacy and confidentiality of [consumers’] information.” The order also required an independent third party to audit this privacy program every two years for a twenty-year period.
ftc.gov
The proposed settlement bars Facebook from making any further deceptive privacy claims, requires that the company get consumers' approval before it changes the way it shares their data, and requires that it obtain periodic assessments of its privacy practices by independent, third-party auditors for the next 20 years.
ftc.gov
Facebook must provide clear and conspicuous notice of its use of facial recognition technology, and obtain affirmative express user consent prior to any use that materially exceeds its prior disclosures to users;
ftc.gov
• Facebook cannot use phone numbers it received specifically for security purposes for advertising.
ftc.gov
Finally, the order imposes a sea change in the way Facebook addresses consumers’ privacy with a belt-and-suspenders approach to compliance.

Privacy & surveillance Proposed settlement

Facebook proposed settlement over limits tracking without consent

Should Facebook violate any term of the final order, it could be liable for civil2 monetary penalties of up to $16,000 per violation per day (pursuant to Section 5(l) of the FTC Act).

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ftc.gov
‘‘Covered information’’ is defined broadly as ‘‘information from or about an individual consumer, including but not limited to: (a) A first or last name; (b) a home or other physical address, including street name and name of city or town; (c) an email address or other online contact information, such as an instant messaging user identifier or a screen name; (d) a mobile or other telephone number; (e) photos and videos; (f) Internet Protocol (‘‘IP’’) address, User ID, or other persistent identifier; (g) physical location; or (h) any information combined with any of (a) through (g) above.’’ Part II of the proposed order requires Facebook to give its users a clear and prominent notice and obtain their affirmative express consent before sharing their previously-collected information with third parties in any way that materially exceeds the restrictions imposed by their privacy settings.
ftc.gov
Should Facebook violate any term of the final order, it could be liable for civil2 monetary penalties of up to $16,000 per violation per day (pursuant to Section 5(l) of the FTC Act).