This week, Facebook's software, which supposedly tracks Internet activity while users are logged out, came under heavy scrutiny, and legislators and privacy groups alike have requested the FTC to investigate. 

Facebook logo, courtesy of Creative Commons.

Reps. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Joe Barton (R-Rex.) wrote a letter to the FTC, saying that the cookie software used by Facebook should be investigated under the "unfair and deceptive acts" clause of the FTC's mandate.

Uncovered by self-proclaimed hacker Nik Cubrilovic, Facebook's software keeps a cookie on users local computer, even after logging out, which sends information back to Facebook. This cookie, combined with the recent announcements of Timeline and Open Graph, have brought back the questions regarding Facebook's privacy.

Reps. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Joe Barton (R-Rex.) commented on the Washington Post: 

“When people log out of Facebook, they are under the expectation that Facebook is no longer monitoring their activities,” wrote the congressmen, who chair the bipartisan Congressional Privacy Caucus. “We believe this impression should be the reality.”

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