Facebook ‘Like’ Button Data Collection Isn’t Illegal, Groups Say

The Internet Association and other industry groups are joining Facebook Inc. in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review whether collecting data via a “like” button installed on other websites violates federal wiretap law.

The industry groups argue that the features at issue are common practice online, like sending information to Facebook’s server rather than the server hosting the webpage the person was visiting.

“If communications with these features can amount to an illegal wiretap, then a vast quantity of everyday online communications could violate a criminal statute,” the groups said in a brief filed Monday.

The case stems from ...