Nearly 600,000 internet users worldwide signed a petition against a new feature of Facebook that's a potential privacy breach. The social network introduced a feature in its mobile apps which enables the microphone when writing a status update.
Facebook announced the opt-in feature for its iOS and Android apps last month. Using the microphone the apps are able to identify the music users are listening to or the movie they're watching. According to Facebook many users share that kind of information. With the feature Facebook is able to automatically fill in that information, without the user having to search for the title.
The feature, not available yet, received lots of criticism directly after the announcement. Opponents of the listening feature claim it invades the privacy of users as Facebook (or third parties) can potentially abuse the incoming audio to eavesdrop on conversations or surrounding sounds. Opponents also argue that users do not carefully read the warnings and terms about using the microphone.
Already nearly 600,000 people have signed the petition with the starters of the petition aiming for 750,000. Facebook has responded it will continue to offer the feature as it argues enabling the feature is fully optional. The social network also claims data isn't stored and that the microphone is only enabled for 15 seconds.
