AIB has been accused of spying on its customers on Facebook.
The bank is reportedly looking into its users Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media accounts looking for comments on its services.
The Irish Independent reports that AIB is demanding access to social media as part of the mortgage application process. However, it is not allowing customers to ‘opt-out’ of that particular check point.
Apparently, he bank says that the move “helps us understand your behaviour”.
Customers looking for a mortgage or to borrow now have to sign a consent form, giving AIB the permission to look at all of their social media accounts.
Charlie Weston, finance editor of the Irish Independent said: “Is it trying to tailor products towards you by doing some data analytics? Because it does use the phrase data analytics in the consent form.
“Is the bank going to turn down applications from people whose social media shows that they gamble a lot maybe, or that they are going to anti-eviction protests?”
“You have to sign this form if you want to get a mortgage because it covers a whole range of things from allowing the bank to do a credit check on you; you are also confirming that the information in the documents that you have given the bank are correct,” he said.
“There is a section on marketing where it says you can opt out of direct marketing. But with this section on social media – there is no opt-out on that.”
It all sounds a bit sketchy to us, tbh.
