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Frictionless Sharing

This year, Facebook introduced the world to “frictionless sharing.” Up until now Facebook users were able to choose whether or not they shared content, such as music or news, on their profile after they had viewed it. Now this choice has been eliminated in most apps and the same information is automatically shared instead of manually.

Spotify and the Washington Post Social Reader are two of the more common apps that have taken advantage of this new method of sharing. They have used it to increase app usage among Facebook users. Some of these apps allow the user to make a one-time decision as to whether or not what they view is shared on their profile. The other method is providing the option to share each time you read a new article or listen to a song.

These frictionless apps give the user less of choice when it comes to what they share and to whom they share with. And some Facebook users feel that too much of their personal interests and information are being put on display to all their Facebook friends even when they don’t want it to be.

The 1988 VPPA law has prevented Netflix from launching the app even though subscribers in 46 other countries already use it. This law prevents video rental services from disclosing users’ viewing habits without written permission. Reed Hastings, the CEO of Netflix is pushing for a bill that will change this law so that the Netflix sharing app can automatically broadcast what you have watched.

A recent survey done by Citi analyst Mark Mahaney finds that 7 out of 10 Netflix users are “not at all interested” in seeing what their Facebook friends have been watching on Netflix. However, these results have done nothing to damper Netflix’s push to have the 1988 Video Privacy Protection Act revised in order to allow the company to launch its frictionless Facebook app that auto-posts for subscribers. Not only does the app publicize what movies or shows you have watched but it also gives recommendations based on your friends’ viewing records. Patrick Leahy, the lead author behind the VPPA law has commented “a one-time check off that has the effect of an all-time surrender of privacy does not seem to me the best course for consumers.”

The US House of Representatives has already passed a bill allowing Netflix to use frictionless sharing in the United States. Currently, Netflix is asking the Senate to revise the bill and their decision will decide whether or not Facebook users will have access to the Netflix app or not via Facebook.

Regardless of the outcome, Neil Richards, professor of law at Washington University, made a valid point when he said, “A world of automatic, always-on disclosure should give us pause.” So the question for anyone who uses Netflix and Facebook is: Do you want every show or movie that you have viewed to be seen my all of your Facebook friends?

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————Amanda Womack is currently an intern at iKeepSafe and attends Rochester Institute of Technology as a New Media Marketing major.

 

Categories: Social Networking

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