I don't see how they can really do this without banning Facebook completely. It is an individuals choice.

Forbes.com

FB will have to render different pages for different countries, rendering according to what is and isn't permitted. Or simply shutdown FB DE. They can't continue to break the law. MS made many concessions to remain in the EU.

This is going to be an interesting thread. I wonder what the cost to Facebook will be to impliment something that will overcome this and how it will affect thier drastic over-valuation?

It's a huge story....give it time to brew.

That is what I wondered. Which would be most practical: modifying it, or banning it?

If Germany is right then would the rest of the EU have to follow suit?

I think that's logical, but will be avoided. EU is pretty harmonised on these issues. I am waiting for a response from Google.

Last thing Germany wants is imposing censorship and having a firewall like China. Not too sure what servers they have in Germany, but data locality will almost definitely mean they have some data / hosting within Germany's borders which can be shutdown quite easily and quickly. FB users will get round that by going in via another country (.co.uk / .com / .xxx) and logging in there. That leaves the German authorities with little control, so they will hound Google through the EU courts etc. Google will have to respond , a deal will be struck.

I do not see any other way other than Google changing the base model somehow though, the EU accounts for a large chunk of their user base.

There is no right or wrong here, just legislation. Saying that though, theoretically not the EU, no, just those states that have signed up to the EU consitution which are not all of the states. Once again, that still allows for cases to be taken to EU courts after being dismissed in states that have not signed up to the constitution. It is a freaking mess.

Then of course parties like the "pirate party" are going to love this sort of thing as well and they seem to be a small but growing thing in EU politics.

Just a question but where does Google fit into this?

Not sure if you are serious... but anyway: Facebook makes a profile of you based on the info you give and what you do on their site.

Google has all my email, loads of my documents, calender, photos, browsing and search history... guess who has a better profile. And guess how google makes money.

I am not critizising it at all. I know it and it was my choice to use their "free" services paying with a bit of privacy. But I'd say this isn't transparent to 95% of all internet user.

It doesn't. I meant Facebook. I get confused by so many greedy malignant web giants.

Facebook has agreed to a voluntary code of conduct to pacify the German protests over privacy

More details

Concession was the easiest route. I am not a subscriber to the site/link , what do these voluntary measures entail ?

I think that the privacy changes that have been introduced universally in the last few days may have satisfied the Germans.

Instead of privacy settings being hidden in the overall settings section, they are now accessible from every post.

This is just daft. Do they not have more important things to worry about at the moment. Euro problems, exports, imports, unemployed, aging population and health care, pensions etc.
Some people just wake up with a brainfart.

It's the Eisenhower principle: focus on the small things you can change/do in the short term....ask any politician about strategy, they'll answer they're as strategic as their term in office......

Well, no, they don't. You'd be surprised how detailed the profiles are nowadays that marketers can buy. It has been one of the biggest trends of the last decade to offer "free" services online that consumers pay with privacy. And yes, it has loads of grey areas that are worth to discuss. Some even hit points you mention, say health insurance:

Just imagine:
1. I google loads of pages on a specific illness which changes my profile into "interested in x, probably patient"

2. Health insurances buys profiles with health information.

3. When I want to change the insurer, the health insurances would offer me higher premiums based on the information they believe they have on my situation.

Some companies, mainly facebook, google and Apple have an extremly good view on anything I do online. I need to trust them not to exploit the data they collect and frankly do I for one have a hard time trusting any of the three.

True. Just compare the adverts that appear on different people's Facebook pages.

Sure the rely on profiling based on hits and people clicking on the those stupid advertising banners. Who ever clicks on them? You have got to be stupid.
I just think we have bigger issues that really need to be addressed.

I'm in the process of closing my FB acct anyway

That won't stop anything. Your information will still be used for years to come...

(You did read the small print didn't you ?)