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Facebook Violates Korea’s Privacy Law

No big surprise here, but the KCCNazi (Korea Communications Commission) says Facebook is violating the somewhat infamous Article 22 of the Korea’s privacy law policy.

The KCC gave Facebook 30 days to comply … about a weekish ago. So, the countdown is on.

Its unlikely that Facebook will make any dramatic concessions. Rather, Facebook will probably just implement some work-arounds or make some inconsequential service sacrifices that tends to leave the KCC huffing and puffing, but otherwise impotent to enforce punishments. Just ask Google (refuses to comply to Korean real-name law) and YouTube (scaled back for same reason). We even saw the KoreaGameNazi when Apple and Android were forced to comply Gaming Boards game app approval system.

I’m kind of split on this one. Normally, I’m admittedly shotgun blind shot against the over-regulated, out-dated, often non-sensicle, poorly implemented protectionist privacy laws (if you can’t tell), but Facebook has been many problems related to privacy issues… so its much harder to point the finger at the 500lb FB gorilla in the room.

That said, what I can add to the news (as it relates to Korea) is:

Get in line FaceBook! This is how the RoK rolls (for better or worse)!!

500+ million members isn’t why you have enemies here… TheKCCNazi was waaaay ahead of you.

KCCNazi gives warning "no facebook for you!" image

Why stop at soup?

The guys over at Cyworld (Korea’s home grown and number 1 social network) have gotta be grinning ear-to-ear right now.

 

 

Posted on December 20, 2010 at 7:30 pm

Categories: Business, Legal

Written by

Richard is Co-Founder and GM at Seoul Space drawing off his near 10 years in the IT industry in Korea as Managing Director at InfoNet Digital and previously, as Founder of Korea's first PPC search engine and advertising company Zingu. Originally recruited by Google to lead Korea operations, Richard is well-sought after by global brand enterprises and local businesses as an industry authority, leader and pioneer in the trenches of the Korean digital frontier. He is also an avid birder, NCAA championship swimmer, martial artist, former skateboarder, horseback rider and PC gamer… no, he doesn't sleep much.