Archive notice: This article was originally published on February 18, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
A StudiVZ spokeswoman confirmed receipt of the warning and stated that the legal department was examining the letter. In the online network, users can create a profile in order to exchange ideas and connect with like-minded people and friends.
Among other things, the consumer advocates object that StudiVZ allows the extensive declaration on the use of personal data to be confirmed with a single click. It does not make sufficiently clear what information the company collects and how it uses it, said vzbv lawyer Carola Elbrecht. For example, StudiVZ obtains permission to create a usage profile and use it for targeted advertising. ‘It is absolutely essential that consumers consciously consent to something like this,’ Elbrecht emphasised. She demanded that consent to each clause be requested individually.
The lawyer also criticised the fact that users must initially agree to the data-protection declaration and can only subsequently reject the use of data for advertising purposes manually. Nor does the company specify the medium through which it sends advertising. ‘As the data-protection declaration currently stands, advertising by email, SMS or telephone is also permitted.’
The Holtzbrinck subsidiary had changed its General Terms and Conditions in December so that it could use members’ personal details and usage profiles for personalised advertising. Participants could not continue using their accounts without agreeing to the new conditions. Many of the more than four million members protested against this in a variety of forms.
