MPs call for social media firms to simplify terms and conditions on data use as Twitter reveals plans to track users' apps

'Most people click yes to terms and conditions contracts without reading them, because they are often laughably long and written in the kind of legalese you need a law degree from the USA to understand,' says Andrew Miller MP

Users of social media sites may not be aware of how their data is being used - and potentially abused - by the likes of Facebook and Twitter because their terms and conditions are too complicated, a committee of MPs has warned.

In a report called Responsible Use of Data, the Parliamentary Science and Technology Committee slams the terms and agreements set out by social media firms as being "not fit as a mechanism for demonstrating that users have given informed consent for some of the ways companies are now exploiting personal data".

The committee is calling on the government to work alongside the Information Commissioner's Office to develop a set of standards social media firms can sign up to, "committing themselves to explain how they use personal data in clear, concise and simple terms".

To demonstrate the need for new standards, Andrew Miller MP, chairman of the Science and Technology Committee, used the example of how, without permission, Facebook manipulated what users saw in their feeds as part of a social experiment.

"Facebook's experiment with users' emotions highlighted serious concerns about the extent to which, ticking the terms and conditions box, can be said to constitute informed consent when it comes to the varied ways data is now being used by many websites and apps," said Miller, who went on to describe how terms and conditions are so long, that most people won't read them.

"Let's face it, most people click yes to terms and conditions contracts without reading them, because they are often laughably long and written in the kind of legalese you need a law degree from the USA to understand," he said.

Miller added that the likes of Facebook and Twitter should be happy to sign up to new guidelines on simplifying terms and conditions: "Socially responsible companies wouldn't want to bamboozle their users, of course, so we are sure most social media developers will be happy to sign up to the new guidelines on clear communication and informed consent that we are asking the government to draw up."

It isn't the first time Facebook has faced questions over how it mines data on its users. NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has previously warned that the manner in which Facebook data is collected and mined compromises the privacy of its users.

The Science and Technology Committee also warned on the issue of mobile apps collecting personal data, arguing companies should have a greater responsibility to explain their need to require and retain personal information.

"A line also needs to be drawn between the information that apps actually need to provide a service and the kind of personal information they often request when registering new users - information that is becoming increasingly valuable in our networked society," said Miller.

"I hope that a voluntary system of guidelines can work, because, if not, legislation might be needed."

Parliament's warning on how social media firms collect and use personal data comes as Twitter revealed plans to track users' other installed mobile apps in an effort to tailor personalised advertising towards them.

The feature, named "app graph", will see Twitter tracking what third-party apps users have installed on their smartphone or tablet device.

"To help build a more personal Twitter experience for you, we are collecting and occasionally updating the list of apps installed on your mobile device so we can deliver tailored content that you might be interested in," Twitter said in a statement.

However, the firm said it will also allow users to easily turn the feature off, should they not want to use it.

"You can easily adjust the setting that allows Twitter to collect a list of apps on your mobile device. Once you turn off the setting, we will remove your app graph data from Twitter and stop future collection," Twitter said.