EU terms unacceptable the consumer protection delays by Facebook and Twitter
The EU in Brussels has warned Twitter and Facebook to give users more clarity about when they take down content and delete accounts to comply with Europe’s consumer protection laws.
Social media platforms had been urged to change their terms and conditions to allow users to report incidents of scamming, have the right to take the companies to court in the EU rather than the US, and clarify the conditions under which content is removed.
While Google+ had complied with all the required changes, Facebook and Twitter shad not complied fully, prompting S Vera Jourova, EU commissioner for consumers and justice, to call it “unacceptable” that many of the changes were “still not complete and it is taking so much time”.
The Commission said Facebook still needed to “clarify” how someone can appeal a content removal while Twitter needed to waive its right to have “unlimited power” to delete material as it sees fit. From March this year, Twitter will provide users with a 30 day notice when it is changing its terms and conditions.
Facebook, Twitter and Google+ have all changed their terms to allow EU citizens to make legal complaints against the companies in Europe, rather than in California, and for the right to reverse or cancel an online purchase.
