Facebook faces probe over ‘fake notifications’

A consumer rights group has asked the Korea Communications Commission to investigate whether fake notifications on Facebook designed to lure users into downloading Facebook Messenger violates the law.

Recently, users on online forums have been complaining about the use of fake message notifications by Facebook to encourage non-users to download Messenger. Facebook notifies users that they have received a message, but does not show the message unless they download Messenger. 

Once Messenger is installed, users sometimes find that they had not actually received a message, but a simple notification from Facebook displaying other users that are also on Messenger.

“I downloaded Messenger because of a notification, but there was no message. I uninstalled it right away. I was so annoyed,” wrote one online commenter.

According to the Green Consumer Network, these fake notifications are in violation of the Telecommunications Business Act because they interfere with freedom of users‘ choice.

The telecommunications law prohibits business operators from taking actions “which undermine or are feared to undermine fair competition or users’ interests.”

“Facebook‘s fake notifications deceive consumers into installing the Messenger application, hurting consumers’ interests and interfering with freedom of choice,” the organization‘s ICT Consumer Policy Research Institute said through a statement.

The claim is that Facebook is essentially lying to users in order to force them to use Messenger.

Facebook responded through a statement saying that its use of notifications to encourage downloads of Messenger did not restrict consumer choice.

“Facebook Messenger is an application that can be freely installed and uninstalled, and not installing Messenger does not create any restrictions on other Facebook or smartphone functions,” the company said. 

By Won Ho-jung (hjwon@heraldcorp.com)