There are a number of steps you can take.

Contact the site

Generally it is best to complain to the social networking site first. Send them a message explaining the problem and how you would like them to fix it.

Separate organisation

If a separate organisation has misused information about you that they collected from your MySpace or Facebook page (FAQ 5 has more information), you should complain to that organisation.

Complain to the trust-mark issuer

Some social networking websites have a privacy ‘trust-mark’. For example, Bebo and Facebook have the ‘TRUSTe’ trust-mark.

A trust-mark is a symbol that a business displays on its privacy policy which says that its information handling practices meet with certain standards set out by the trust-mark organisation. (It’s a bit like the Heart Foundation tick that is displayed on some food products.)

If you have a privacy-related complaint and the site hasn’t adequately dealt with it, you can complain to the trust-mark organisation, and it may be able to investigate further on your behalf.

Call our Privacy Enquiries Line – we may be able to help

If an organisation doesn’t adequately resolve your complaint and it’s covered by the Privacy Act, you can make a complaint to our Office.

Call our Privacy Enquiries Line (1300 363 992) for more information or send us an email at privacy@privacy.gov.au.

Is your complaint about another user of the site?

If another user of a social networking site is using your personal information to harass, bully or defame you, FAQ 8 or 9 may help.

Back to Social Networking FAQs