Blockbuster Sued Over Facebook Program

I read this article today and it upset me a great deal.

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=80839&Nid=41637&p=469091

Per the article, a Texas resident is suing Blockbuster for participating in Facebook’s Beacon program, which tells members about their friends’ e-commerce activity. In the lawsuit Dallas County resident claims that Blockbuster violated the federal Videotape Privacy Protection Act by sharing information about her movie rentals and sales with Facebook without first obtaining her written consent.

I just have one thing to say to people like this Dallas resident. What did you think when you added the Blockbuster application to FaceBook and provided your login and password? Was the point not to be able to have your friends see the movies you added to your queue? The US government should really put some boundaries around law suits. They hurt tax payers and encourage people to try and make a buck on someone else’s dime.

–Faisal Laljee

Full Disclosure: I do not own Blockbuster but my position can change anytime without notice.