Facebook is in active negotiations to resolve the Federal Trade Commission’s investigation into the company’s privacy failures, according to a new Washington Post report, talks that could result in a multi-billion dollar fine or a heavyweight court battle. The report didn’t include an exact figure and said that landing on an amount is the focus of the talks.
The negotiations have had a tumultuous beginning, but could lead to an agreement between the company and the government over a fine, business changes, and regular check ups, according to the Post. Any agreement would have to be approved by a judge. If negotiations go badly, that too would go to a federal judge and could lead to Facebook executives on the witness stand – an outcome the company will want to avoid.
The FTC investigation stems from the uproar after it was revealed last year that political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica accessed the personal data of 87 million Facebook’s users without explicit permission. The question at hand is if this and other lapses constitute a violation of deal known as a “consent decree” Facebook made with the FTC in 2011 to better protect the privacy of its users.
That deal was multifaceted and included an “affirmative express consent” agreement and a promise from Facebook that it would avoid “misrepresentations about the privacy or security of consumers’ personal information.” Investigators may believe that by allowing an organisation like Cambridge Analytica to access users’ personal information without knowledge or express consent, Facebook violated the agreement.
Full story at Gizmodo.
By Patrick Howell O'Neill.
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