Twitter has nuked a key privacy setting. You used to be able to opt out of sharing your private information with advertisers—but not anymore.

Suck it up, tweeps. Jack needs a new pair of shoes. What are you gonna do about it? Move to Europe?

You are the product. In today’s SB Blogwatch, Serra and Schoolman are proven right yet again.

Your humble blogwatcher curated these bloggy bits for your entertainment. Not to mention: Koalaspeke.

This is Fine

What’s the craic? Amy Castor oils the wheels—“Twitter says it’s sharing more of your data”:

Earlier … Twitter users were served with a popup stating that the platform has removed a privacy feature. … Twitter wants to collect more data to prove its ads are working and better serve its advertisers. … Users will have no choice in the matter [outside] the European Union.

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A spokesperson from Twitter [said] the change is “crucial to running our business and maintaining a free service.” And said [it’s] “an industry standard approach to mobile app measurement data sharing.”

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While some users may shrug this off as no big deal, the change in Twitter’s data-sharing policy is hugely offensive to others. [Those] who tend to fiercely guard their privacy aren’t happy about the change.

Ad apologist David Cohen adds—“Twitter Changes Its Data-Sharing Controls”:

An update began appearing atop users’ feeds, reading … “The control you have over what information Twitter shares with its business partners has changed. Specifically, your ability to control mobile app advertising measurements has been removed, but you can control whether to share some non-public data to improve Twitter’s marketing activities on other sites and apps.”

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The social network still does not provide third parties with information such as names, emails, phone numbers or usernames.

And Jacob Kastrenakes digs deeper—“Twitter notifies users that it’s now sharing more data with advertisers”:

The setting prevented Twitter from sharing information like the ads you saw or interacted with and the tracking identifier for your phone. For most users, that information will now be shared by default and can’t be turned off.

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Last year, Twitter blamed an earnings miss on a bug that prevented it from properly using and sharing this kind of ad data. … A bug had also caused the company to ignore some user settings to prevent certain data from being shared.

Things are going to be okay. The EFF’s Bennett Cyphers says it “Shows Why We Need Strong Privacy Laws”:

Previously, anyone in the world could opt out of Twitter’s conversion tracking … and people in GDPR-compliant regions had to opt in. Now, people outside of Europe have lost that option. … To understand what’s going on, we need to look at another piece of Twitter news from last year.

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On August 5, 2019, Twitter announced that … some of its privacy settings were not setting things correctly. Specifically, the opt-outs … did not actually opt users out. … Twitter fixed both bugs [but] advertisers were unhappy. And Twitter announced a substantial hit to its revenue. [The] fixes seem to have shown Twitter exactly how much privacy options were costing it.

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Today, users in Europe maintain the same agency and control over their personal data [because they] are protected by GDPR. … All too often, Twitter, Google, and Facebook will give users only as much control as they think they need to in order to stave off regulation and competitors, but no more.

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It shouldn’t be up to tech companies to give us privacy. We need strong data privacy laws that protect users’ rights.

But _Sharp’r_ imagines a world without Twitter:

Since Twitter is a private web site, which no one is required to use, you always have the “privacy choice” of just not sending your data to it. Not super-complicated.

Although ShorsHammer sees a tiny flaw in that argument:

What % of … users will move to the alternative/s due to this? Surely it’s a minuscule amount if any?



They are addicted to it like a drug and won’t leave at all, complaining and feeling persecuted is all they have. Twitter played their hand well and could easily go further down the line without any consequences.

Europeans must be feeling pretty smug right now. khchung told ya so:

Shows you that GDPR actually works to protect people’s privacy, even though, for years, naysayers had been claiming it won’t. Rather than wasting effort to try to yell at Twitter, better spend it to get GDPR-like legislation in your own countries.

Not every naysayer still says nay. freedomben, for example:

As someone who was very skeptical of GDPR … I think [the EFF] makes a great point. My opinion on GDPR has improved a lot after seeing the effects myself.



I still don’t think it’s perfect by any stretch, and I’d love to see improvements, but it does seem important and I’m glad we started somewhere.

Meanwhile, this Anonymous Coward wonders why they bother:

I’m trying to remember the last time I (intentionally) clicked an internet ad. Hmm. Let’s see. … You know, I’m having trouble coming up with an example.



I’m not sure having the ads “targeted” is going to help!

And Finally:

Here Comes The Koala

Previously in And Finally

You have been reading SB Blogwatch by Richi Jennings. Richi curates the best bloggy bits, finest forums, and weirdest websites … so you don’t have to. Hate mail may be directed to @RiCHi or sbbw@richi.uk. Ask your doctor before reading. Your mileage may vary. E&OE.

Image source: K.C. Green

— Richi Jennings