Facebook has settled its latest dispute over abuse of user data and has agreed to tighter consent rules on privacy. Colleges and universities in the UK use Facebook as a tool in teaching and learning and although this agreement was reached in the US with the Federal Trade Commission, it should be of benefit to users in the UK. Any tightening of consent and retention settings and rules can only be positive in helping institutions in implementing and maintaining a culture of compliance with EU and UK data protection laws.
This news story is available on the BBC Website at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15953414
For more information on the legal implications of using social networks in education, see the JISCLegal publication Facing up to Facebook: A Guide for FE and HE