Disclosure And Facebook’s Social Plugin
A few weeks ago Facebook introduced its new Comment Box plugin, allowing companies and individuals to connect comments on their owned properties to their Facebook presences.
At the time, while reviewing the business implications of the new Facebook plugin, I wrote:
“There’s lots of potential for confusion, and controversy, when people realize their comments don’t just reside within the protective, search-resistant walls of Facebook. It’s just a matter of time before people start complaining as their comments start unexpectedly showing up on third party websites, or attracting responses from company advocates over on a Facebook Page…
Companies using the plugin on their owned properties would be well advised to make it very clear to users that their comments may be shared over on Facebook”
My colleague Suzanne Marlatt flagged the way the National Post is addressing the issue on its site. Here’s the notice they include on every story (screen cap below):
“Learn more about the new Facebook comments here or tell us what you think: website@nationalpost.com.
If you are commenting using a Facebook account your profile information (job/employer/location) may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the ‘Post to Facebook’ box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to Financialpost.com.”
The first line links to a full page of information on the commenting system.
I think this is a great way of communicating the implications of using the plugin. What other examples have you seen?
