Facebook privacy response awaited

Privacy chiefs are awaiting an explanation from Facebook over an alleged psychological experiment which recorded users’ moods as news feeds on the social network were manipulated. The Data Protection Commission (DPC) has confirmed it has been in contact with the web giant’s Dublin headquarters to ask for a comprehensive explanation of the secret test.

The question of user consent is understood to be a major issue for the Irish watchdog.

In the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is also said to be looking into how the social network and two US universities altered news feeds of almost 700,000 users and monitored their reactions.

The study was said to be designed to measure the impact of ”emotional contagion”.

A spokeswoman for the DPC said: “I can confirm that this office has been in contact with Facebook in relation to the privacy issues, including consent, of this research. We are awaiting a comprehensive response on issues raised.”