Facebook is convey a massive user referendum this week , asking its 900 million - plus users to sanction or reject changes to its privateness policy that it firstproposedon May 13 .

Facebook enunciate the result of the vote will be tie up if at least 30 percentage of active users enter , and “ consultatory ” if that threshold is n’t met . But rather than earning praise for release to user - friendly bylaws for its so - called data use policy , the caller has pose off a young circle of criticism about its allege condescension for user privacy .

The unusual vote on proposed changes to Facebook ’s privateness policy stem from events that have stretch in Europe . European lawrequirescorporations to expose , upon petition , any info they hold about individuals . Last year , 24 - year - old Austrian law student Max Schrems petition Facebook to partake in with him all the info the ship’s company had about him . The dossier he received became the basis of a act oflegal complaintshe filed with the Irish Data Protection Commissioner ’s Office , which has jurisdiction over Facebook Ireland , the company ’s headquarters for operations outside North America .

According to Schrems , the dossier let out that Facebook was violating European law .

The Irish office respond by audit Facebook Ireland . Underpressurefrom the commissioner , Facebookagreedto make changes to its data use policy .

Although thevotecould be meet as a win for concealment proponent , Schrems described it as a pretender .

Facebook defended its efforts to elicit user feedback .

“ To promote the vote , Facebook has served near a billion impression to users , including nomadic - only users , and will keep to do so . Once someone voting they can choose to separate their friends they did so in their friends ’ News Feeds , ” a interpreter write in an e-mail .

U.S.-based secrecy preach David Jacobs , the consumer protection counselling at the Electronic Privacy Information Center ( EPIC ) , was also dismissive of thereferendum .

“ The placard has been seriously inadequate . As far as I can tell , only members of Site Governance and Facebook and Privacy page were notified , and the vote is only undetermined for a calendar week , ” Jacobs said . “ The procedure seems to be blemished , unless the goal is to have a vote that does n’t really imply much . ”

Both European and American privateness groups are counsel users to vote against Facebook ’s propose changes . Schrems said the changes do n’t do enough to deal the possible illegality swag by the Irish data point protective covering commissioner . He select a late ZDNetinterviewas evidence that the commissioner ’s power will demand changes from Facebook even if user approve the new insurance .

Gary Davis , deputy commissioner of the Irish data security office , said in an electronic mail that the office was “ slaked with the reading acquaint , ” but impart , “ the concealment insurance is only one footfall in the consenting and engagement process with drug user , and it is accredit that a move towards the seeking of what we would term ‘ in - line ’ consent symbolize a better feeler as it seeks a consent from a exploiter for the use of their data at a time when it is relevant . ”

Schrems ’ group sees the vote as a way for users to convey to Facebook that they want more privacy protections .

EPIC ’s Jacobs sound out users should vote against the new policies . Voter approval could just entrench practices that do n’t really safeguard exploiter privacy , because the new policies are more denotative without offering more tribute , he state . That would make them hard to struggle . According to Jacobs and other privacy advocates , American laws mainly restrict companies from diverging from what they tell users about their practices with personal data .

Pro - privacy software vendor Abine , which orient out a privateness advisory email , is alsotellingusers to vote against Facebook ’s declare oneself changes . The party hassuggestedthat drug user may misplace secrecy protections under the new policy .

Unless antagonist take out off a last - bit media putsch , it seems unlikely that the vote will amount to more than a measurement of substance abuser thought . With voting schedule to end at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Friday , the total number of voters as of tardy Wednesday good afternoon had not make even 10 percent of the numeral postulate to make the vote binding . About 85 percentage of voters were rejecting the new papers .