Concerns Raised By Lawmakers In Light Of Facebook Data Leak
The suspension of Cambridge Analytica on Facebook raised concerns over a data breach that may have affected over 50 million users. Republican lawmakers have raised concerns over the privacy violation and the apparent unauthorized use of Facebook’s 50 million users’ data.
According to Reuters, it has been reported that a political consultancy (Cambridge Analytica) came in possession of the user data and had connections with President Donald Trump’s campaign. In addition, Senator Marco Rubio mentioned that internet companies are too big to manage their responsibilities and obligations. Rubio went on to add that he was disturbed by these recent turn of events.
Another senator, Rand Paul, called into question the trustworthiness of social networks such as Facebook following the data breach.
“People have to look into it. Whether or not it broke the law, absolutely, the privacy of the American consumer, the American individual, should be protected,” Paul said on CNN.
A psychology professor at Cambridge University had collected this data for a personality prediction app. After collecting sensitive information from over 50 million users, the professor passed on the data to Cambridge Analytica. Consequently, Facebook announced the suspension of the data firm.
“Facebook did not immediately reply when asked on Sunday for a response to the lawmakers’ comments. However, in a new statement Sunday, the company said it was conducting a “comprehensive internal and external review” to determine if the user data in question still existed.”
https://www.facebook.com/GuardianUs/posts/2137321176294938
Facebook is facing renewed scrutiny over the privacy violation and unauthorized use of this harvested data from over 50 million accounts. The senator from Minnesota, Amy Klobuchar, demanded for the company’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify before Senate Judiciary.
https://www.facebook.com/TheHill/posts/10155870190144087
As the New York Times reported, lawmakers in the U.S. and in the U.K. demanded from Facebook on Sunday to explain how a political data firm with ties to President Trump’s campaign was able to access private data without consent.
“The calls followed reports on Saturday in The New York Times and The Observer of London that Cambridge Analytica, a political data firm founded by Stephen K. Bannon and Robert Mercer, the wealthy Republican donor, had used the Facebook data to develop methods that it claimed could identify the personalities of individual American voters and influence their behavior.”
NEW: 'Facebook "misled" MPs.'
'Zuckerberg needs to testify to parliament.'
Strong words from head of UK fake news inquiry, @DamianCollinshttps://t.co/1MbuPlYj5J— Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) March 18, 2018
The Times analysis also mentioned that a British Conservative lawmaker, Damian Collins, is undertaking a parliamentary investigation into fake news and the Russian meddling in Britain’s referendum to leave the European Union. Facebook, back in February, was summoned to explain the social network’s involvement. Collins alluded to the strong possibility that Zuckerberg or a senior executive has to appear for a hearing once again.
