The vote wasn't a new shift toward transparency; in reality, it was mandated by the site's own regulations that require the company to hold a vote whenever more than 7,000 users comment on a proposed change. The privacy group Europe Vs. Facebook had instigated an onslaught of comments that flooded Facebook's Site Governance page -- about 40,000 in one week.

While it was interesting that the small activist group was able to force Facebook's hand and make it hold the vote, Facebook went to no great lengths to promote it.

In fact, Europe Vs. Facebook founder Max Schrems said that in its handling of the vote, Facebook "" when it didn't prominently feature it.

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