Facebook scans users' private messages, lawsuit claims
Be careful what you post on Facebook — a new lawsuit claims the social network monitors private messages to improve its targeted advertising.
According to the lawsuit, when you share a link to an external website via a private message, Facebook "surreptitiously" scans the message, follows the link and collects information to create a profile of your internet activity, reports Bloomberg.
The lawsuit, filed in a US federal court in California on December 30, accuses Facebook of sharing the data with marketers and advertisers to boost its profits.
Such activity violates the Electronic Communications Privacy Act and California privacy and unfair competition laws, the suit claims.
Facebook spokesperson Jackie Rooney said the allegations are "without merit."
"We will defend ourselves vigorously," Rooney said.
The lawsuit claims that, by claiming its messaging service is private, Facebook creates an "especially profitable opportunity" for itself because users are more likely to reveal things about themselves than they would if they knew they were being monitors, reports BBC News.
The plaintiffs hope to pursue a class-action lawsuit on behalf of all Facebook users who have sent or received a private message in the past two years that included a link to an outside website.
They are seeking as much as $10,000 in damages for each user, as well as demanding that Facebook stop scanning private messages.
Share a tip-off, video or photo with us
