The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is investigating Facebook’s privacy practices after a series of scandals revealed the company’s failure to protect the personal information of millions of users. This investigation follows widespread public outrage.
“The FTC takes very seriously recent press reports raising substantial concerns about the privacy practices of Facebook,” said Tom Pahl, the acting director of the FTC’s bureau of consumer protection. He added that the investigation would determine whether Facebook engaged in “unfair acts that cause substantial injury to consumers.”
One of the key issues is Facebook’s alleged violation of a 2011 settlement, which required the company to improve its privacy practices. Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, believes Facebook violated this agreement by allowing Cambridge Analytica to collect data on friends of Facebook users without consent.
This scandal has raised significant concerns about data privacy and the extent of Facebook’s responsibility in safeguarding user information. As the investigation continues, many are calling for stricter regulations to protect consumers and prevent similar incidents in the future. Facebook, under increasing scrutiny, faces potential penalties if found in violation of the FTC settlement.
Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said he believed Facebook was in violation of the 2011 settlement in letting Cambridge Analytica harvest data on friends of Facebook users.
“This is what Facebook was doing 10 years ago that people objected to, what the FTC should have stopped in 2011,” Rotenberg said. “It makes zero sense that when a person downloads their apps, they have the ability to transfer the data of their friends.”
Facebook’s stock, which already took a big hit last week, slid as a result falling by as much as 6% at one point.
“We remain strongly committed to protecting people’s information,” Facebook’s deputy chief privacy officer, Rob Sherman, said in a statement. “We appreciate the opportunity to answer questions the FTC may have.”