View From The Rock

The question and answer below appeared in The Journal of Accountancy.

Q: Is there any drawback from “liking” things on Facebook (i.e., clicking the Like button)?

A: In the past, “liking” a company or group Facebook page (such as the up-and-coming band Lake Street Dive’s Facebook page) simply meant that some of the stories from that “liked” page would show up on your Facebook home page. But times have changed. Today, in a growing number of cases, clicking the Like button may result in your unknowingly surrendering your legal rights. For example, in April 2014, General Mills updated its privacy policy to say that by using its websites (including its Facebook page), you agree to be bound by the terms of General Mills’ privacy policy, as highlighted in the excerpt pictured below.

As a result, “liking” the General Mills Facebook page (or subscribing to its newsletter, downloading its coupons, or entering its sweepstakes), not only means that you grant the company permission to harvest your data, but it could also mean that you automatically agree to arbitration should you ever wish to file a lawsuit against the company.

Some companies have more intrusive policies when it comes to “liking” their Facebook pages. For example, earlier this year a Facebook friend of mine named Mary “liked” a company’s ad for a software product, and as a result, her name was then used (without her knowledge) for months in company ads appearing on my Facebook wall. It appeared to me that her name was used as if she were endorsing and promoting that company’s product. (I don’t want to disclose Mary’s full name or mention the company in question in this forum; however, the results were as if Woolworth’s had published ads with the words “J. Carlton Collins, CPA, likes Woolworth’s” atop some of its published ads without my knowledge or permission.) When I brought this matter to Mary’s attention, she was appalled. She immediately “unliked” the company’s Facebook page and requested in writing that the company cease and desist from using her name. To her dismay, company ads implying her endorsement continued to appear on my Facebook wall for several more months, until I sent an inquiry to the company’s legal counsel, at which time the company removed her name from further ads. The lesson learned is that perhaps you should be careful as to which Facebook pages you officially “like.”