The document outlines the legal aspects of social media data, particularly focusing on the protection of personal data, intellectual property rights, and the regulations surrounding data collection for contests on platforms like Facebook. It emphasizes the obligations to inform users about data collection purposes and the restrictions on using platform features for contests. Additionally, it highlights the responsibilities associated with the use of pictures and the liability of social media platforms regarding user-generated content.

1. Social media data : legal aspects
Dominique Pissoort
Legal Advisor
Nathalie Poissonnier
Privacy Consultant

2. 1. Introduction
1. Enormous amount of data available
2. « Public » data
3. Free to use ?
Source : http://philippepoisson-hotmail.com.over-blog.com/article-mon-pere-j-ai-peche-
104987906.html

3. 1. Introduction
Overview
1. Personal data
2. Contests/Promotions on Facebook
3. Pictures

4. 2. Personal data
Triple protection of data
1. Intellectual property rights of the author of the database
2. Protection of personal data
3. General terms of social media

5. 2. Personal data
1. Intellectual property rights of the author of the database
a) Copy right : original creation
b) Right of the « producteur de base de données »
• « De producent van een databank » = the physical or moral person
who takes the initiative and bears the underlying risk for the creation of
the database
• « De producent van een databank » has the right to forbid the
extraction and/of the reuse of the whole or a part - qualitatively or
quantitatively substantial- of the content . »

6. 2. Personal data
2. Protection of personal data
a) Obligation to inform
Purpose
b) Principle of compatibility of purposes

7. 2. Personal data
3. General terms
To collect data (e.g. for the organisation of a contest), you must use the
applications that were put at your disposal by the social medium (Linked
In, Facebook,…)

8. 2. Personal data
Collection impossible (cfr. infra)
 Quid monitoring ?
 Quid web crawling ?
 Quid collection of data via my own page (published comments,…) ?

9. 2. Personal data
 Collection possible via
opt in system
 Problems :
 purpose of the collection
restricted to functioning of
the application
Idem for approval for use
of e-mail
 Solution : Integration of an extra screen that does not come from the
social medium but from the advertiser

10. 2. Personal data
Advertiser DB
Pre-filled form
to confirm
& capture NAW
iFrame!!

11. 2. Personal data
Information to provide :
• purpose of the data collection : direct marketing !!!
• Use of a privacy link including a standard privacy policy, e.g.:

12. 2. Personal data
Information to provide :
• Use of e-mail : the approval needs to be free, specific and informed
• !! Information about the « like » : « We collect your name, your e-
mail address and your specific interests declared on Facebook »

13. 2. Personal data

14. 3. Data collection via facebook contest
– Guidelines available on www.facebook.com/promotions_guidelines.php
– Actively monitored by Facebook !!!!

15. 3. Data collection via facebook contest
First rule :
Contests/promotions on FB must be administrated in an application on
facebook.com, either on a canvas page or in an application on a tab
page
never directly on the wall

16. 3. Data collection via facebook contest
Second rule:
You must not use Facebook features or functionality for an automatic
registration to a contest
For example, the act of liking a
Page cannot automatically register
or enter a promotion participant.
Registration must be done
via a form !

17. 3. Data collection via facebook contest

18. 3. Data collection via facebook contest
Third rule :
You are not allowed to notify winners through Facebook, such as
through Facebook messages, chat, or posts on profiles (timelines) or
Pages.
Contact via e-mail address, post address,…

19. 3. Data collection via facebook contest
+ other rules:
a) You are not allowed to condition registration or entry upon the user
taking any action using any Facebook features or functionality other than
liking a Page, checking in to a Place, or connecting to your app.
For example, you cannot condition registration or entry upon the user :
•Liking/commenting a Wall post
•Liking/commenting/uploading a photo on a Wall
•Having the photo with the more « like »
•Be tagged in a photo
•Sharing a photo on the page

20. Not allowed !!!!
20

21. 3. Data collection via facebook contest
Not allowed !!!!
21

22. 3. Data collection via facebook contest
b) You are not allowed to use Facebook features or functionalities,
such as the Like button, as a voting mechanism for a promotion.

23. c) Release of Facebook in the promotion
• release of Facebook by each
participant
• aknowledgment that the promotion is
not administrated by or associated
with Facebook
• Information that the participant is
providing information (data) to the
organisor of the contest (and not to
Facebook)

24. 4. Use of pictures
Pictures are protected by the
Intellectual property rights
(author’s rights)
No use without the express
consent of the author !
BUT : !!! See also the general
terms of the social network !!!

25. 4. Use of pictures
Attention to the respect of the rights of the data subjects
 Right of the author of the picture
 Right of the photographed persons (if they are minors :
parent consent is needed)

26. 4. Use of pictures
Is the social network responsible for the on line content posted on its
website by its members ?
The owner of the social network = content hoster
cf law 11/03/2003 betreffende bepaalde juridische aspecten van de
diensten van de informatiemaatschappij:
Art. 20. § 1. Wanneer een dienst van de informatiemaatschappij bestaat in de opslag van
de door een afnemer van de dienst verstrekte informatie, is de dienstverlener niet
aansprakelijk voor de op verzoek van de afnemer van de dienst opgeslagen informatie,
op voorwaarde dat :
1° de dienstverlener niet daadwerkelijk kennis heeft van de onwettige activiteit of
informatie, of wat een schadevergoedingsvordering betreft, geen kennis heeft van feiten
of omstandigheden waaruit het onwettelijke karakter van de activiteit of de informatie
blijkt; of
2° de dienstverlener, zodra hij van het bovenbedoelde daadwerkelijk kennis heeft, prompt
handelt om de informatie te verwijderen of de toegang ertoe onmogelijk te maken en voor
zover hij handelt overeenkomstig de procedure bepaald in § 3 (= doorgave naar
Procureur des Konings)

27. 4. Use of pictures
To avoid possible liability:
Release of liability clauses in the contest regulation
Disclaimer
You solely hold the responsibility for the photos you decide to publish on this
website. Under no circumstances shall the Promoter be held responsible or
liable, directly or indirectly, for any potential violation arising from this
publication.
If you believe that a photo is published in violation of your rights, please
contact us immediately at the address........ and we guarantee that the photo
in question will be immediately removed from our website.

28. 5. Conclusion
Public ≠ Usable !!!!!!!
Thank you !
Nathalie Poissonnier
nathalie@bdma.be
Dominique Pissoort
legal@bdma.be