Delete Facebook Account

The Data Protection Working Party, which advises the Commission on data and privacy issues, wrote a letter to Facebook, saying recent changes that made previously private information publicly viewable by default were "unacceptable".

In the letter, the group said that profile information, and data about the connections between users, should have a default setting in which this information was only shared with "self-selected" contacts.

"Any further access, such as by search engines, should be an explicit choice of the user," warned the group. "It is unacceptable that [Facebook] fundamentally changed the default settings on its social-networking platform to the detriment of users.

"Providers of social networking sites should be aware that it would be a breach of data protection law if they use personal data of other individuals contained in a user profile for commercial purposes if these other individuals have not given their free and unambiguous consent."

Facebook has faced mounting criticism from users and industry commentators over recent changes to its privacy policy. Last year, it announced that some personal information, including names, profile pictures, city, networks, and friend lists, would be made publicly available. Users who did not wish this information to be shared with the wider web would have to "opt out" of the new system by adjusting their privacy settings to make this information private again.

Earlier this month, Facebook confirmed that it would no longer compel third-party partner websites to delete Facebook user data within 24 hours, and announced closer links with some companies, such as Yelp and Microsoft, which will allow Facebook users to sign in to Microsoft's new collaborative cloud-based editing software, Docs.com, through Facebook.

Facebook, which has 400 million users around the world, responded to the European Union's concerns, saying that it provided extensive tools for users to protect their profiles and choose what information they shared with friends.

"We already enable users to exclude themselves from being indexed by search engines, and recently introduced granular data permissions for applications," said Facebook in a statement. "We are happy to continue working with the Data Protection Working Party."