Final day to vote on Facebook privacy changes

Facebook

flickr-GOIABA (Goiabare...

Facebook users have the last chance to vote on proposed changes to the site's data use policy and statement of rights and responsibilities. 

Since 2009, in the wake of the company's first privacy complaints, Facebook has presented its users with a voting option to make their opinions heard. However, the most recent proposed changes involve putting an end to the public voting method. 

Facebook usually employs a third-party company to design their customized voting apps, whilst the results are tallied by an independent auditor. 

In order to take into account their users' opinions, Facebook requires 30 percent of all registered active users to take part in the vote. Although more than 200,000 people commented on the recent post announcing the proposed changes, it is quite a number away from the 300 million votes needed before the deadline passes. 

The most concerning changes to the data use policy would allow Facebook to share their user data with affiliated businesses. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Center for Digital Democracy, these changes would violate the company's previous settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, which assured users that Facebook could not share their personal information without obtaining prior consent.