Facebook Under Fire -- Parents Don't 'Like' It

Parents don't "like" it.

​It's perhaps a comment on the appetite of the American masses that three biggest stories from First Lady Michelle Obama's appearance on the Today Show this week were that: 1. She was wearing a $34.95 dress from H&M; 2. Barack doesn't dye his hair, and; 3. She doesn't allow her kids to log onto Facebook.

We can't believe it: You mean some parents might actually monitor their kids' online behavior? Obama wants to deny her kids both junk food and social networking? Those kids don't have a chance at obesity in the world.

Well, the First Lady isn't the only parent hating on Facebook this week. Parents filing a class-action suit in Los Angeles Superior Court accuse the Web site of invading kids' privacy, according to Courthouse News.



Specifically, the parents allege that the site is using the kids' images in "endorsements" when the kids click to "Like" certain things.

For instance, today Facebook users could choose to "Like" an ad for "Stop Bullying Every Day." When your friends log onto Facebook, they'll see that one of their friends "Likes" stopping bullies. Not so controversial of a cause, perhaps, but the lawsuit says that that constitutes an endorsement.

Use of a person for financial gain without prior consent -- or in the case of children, the consent of their parent or legal guardian -- is prohibited by state law. The suit also alleges a breach of the California Constitution's privacy provisions.  

The parents in the class action suit seek damages for unjust profits, statutory damages, and an injunction. The Sacramento-based attorney on the case, Mark Tamblyn, did not return messages on Thursday. If he's looking for more plaintiffs, there's one sure bet where to find them: Facebook.

But we're wondering if the social networking behemoth will let someone take out an ad looking for people to "Like" a class action suit against it.

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