A committee of MPs have dubbed the present system as overly long and largely impenetrable leaving most users entirely oblivious to how their personal details may be used and what their rights are – likening attempts to do so as ‘engaging with Shakespeare’.
Instead of focussing on protecting the companies from courtroom writs the MPs suggest instead that they need to convey information more succinctly and in plain English.
Recalling a recent episode when Facebook manipulated users newsfeeds in a social ‘experiment committee chair Andrew Miller said it ‘ highlighted serious concerns about the extent to which ticking the 'terms and conditions' box can be said to constitute informed consent when it comes to the varied ways data is now being used by many websites and apps’.
In response the government is being urged to draw up a set of standards to which all organisations dealing in personal data must adhere to.
Tumblr and Pinterest claim fastest growing social platforms crown.
Tumblr and Pinterest have been named as the hottest property in social media after both were cited as being the fastest growing platforms in their sector.
Edging out image sharing site Instagram for the title the pair notched up the greatest increase in active users overall, with Tumblr growing 120 per cent over the past six months and Tumblr rising by 111 per cent over the same period.
This compares with a paltry 2 per cent increase in Facebook’s active base, placing it last in a survey of eight social media platforms; including LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Google+, by Global Web Index.
Despite its rapid rise Tumblr remains a relative minnow, ranking eighth overall with Facebook remaining firmly ensconced at the top – albeit with murmurings that its own days of stratospheric growth may now be numbered.