Cambridge Analytica incident could see the FTC fine Facebook billions

midian182

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It’s fair to say that the last few days haven’t been Facebook’s best, but things could get even worse. Following news of the Cambridge Analytica controversy, former federal officials say the company may have violated the FTC's consent decree. If found guilty, Facebook could face fines reaching into the billions of dollars.

On Friday, Facebook suspended the accounts of political-data firm Cambridge Analytica, which had worked for the Trump campaign and on Brexit. The suspensions arrived just before reports from The New York Times and The Guardian that included allegations from whistle-blower Christopher Wylie.

Cambridge Analytica worked with a University of Cambridge psychology professor named Dr. Aleksandr Kogan, who developed an app called “thisisyourdigitallife.” The application built psychological profiles of people using their Facebook data, which could then be used in personalized political messages aimed at potential voters.

270,000 Amazon Mechanical Turkers were paid to use the app. And while it did ask for permission to harvest their data, it made no such requests to the 50 million Facebook friends who didn’t know about the app or give consent, yet still had their personal info sucked up.

Wylie told the Observer: “We exploited Facebook to harvest millions of people’s profiles. And built models to exploit what we knew about them and target their inner demons. That was the basis the entire company was built on.”

Wiley also had his account suspended and was criticized by the company, yet his attorney says Facebook “privately welcomed” his help.

Now, the Washington Post reports that the incident could have violated the FTC privacy deal. Former US officials David Vladeck and Jessica Rich told the publication that as the app never asked for consent from users’ friends, it could have broken the decree.

Facebook "reject[s] any suggestion" that it violated the consent deal, and says it "respected" users' privacy settings.

If the FTC does go after Facebook, the company could be hit with a massive fine. The decree asks for up to $40,000 per person, which would equal $2 trillion. Although the agency would be unlikely to ask for so much, it could still hand the social network a punishment reaching into billions of dollars.

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WOW. What a mess! What is happening to our country. I admit I don't understand all these crazy things; but even this old country boy can see these things are not good. What and where will this lead the most powerful country in the world?? Where are our leaders?? Do they not care? Is Trump leading us in the right direction? I don't think so. I'm scared. Are you scared? You should be! Facebook is a very a powerful influence and I'm not sure that's a good thing for our country. I'm 80 years old, so I don't have that long to worry about this, but I. feel sorry for my grand kids. It's not a good thing.
 
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WOW. What a mess! What is happening to our country. I admit I don't understand all these crazy things; but even this old country boy can see these things are not good.

Trump camp did the smart thing and ditched think tank data for Facebook data to inform its messaging. Sales 101. In an amusing plot twist, Facebook may have to foot the bill for related violations.

I'm scared. Are you scared?

No.
 
You know, he deserves it. Those fanciful stories of his trying to explain everything away are just no longer believable and for anyone to allow this kind of thing should be held accountable even to the point of criminal charges. A smart PA could find him "in collusion" with the Trump campaign .....
 
Fakebook is not going to admit to this because if they did, then their fine would be substantial.

Also, Fakebook banning the firm from their site is worth nothing, IMO. Just how many other firms out there are doing something like this in an effort to propagandize information?

If the FTC goes after Fakebook, I hope they make it hurt so much that Fakebook begins its death spiral.

I have never had a Fakebook account, and I never will, either, for any reason. However, I see Fakebook as nothing more than a propaganda engine if not for politics, for advertisers and marketing departments. Advertisers and marketing departments want people to see what the marketing departments and advertisers want them to see and nothing else - the very definition of propaganda.
 
Also, Fakebook banning the firm from their site is worth nothing, IMO. Just how many other firms out there are doing something like this in an effort to propagandize information?

They were banned because they got the election results wrong according to Facebook
 
Zuck and a few friends sold off hundreds of millions in Facebook stock last month. When the news leaked, Facebook's market cap dropped by over 30 billion dollars, only a single digit as a percentage but not insignificant. Now, they have more trouble coming. This is what happens when greed and data gathering is disguised as social media. Facebook is a means to gather user data and sell it. That's why they exist. How many people willingly take the stupid knowledge tests, that will tell you how clever you are, or "like" posts originated by companies to gather data for nearly free? Anyone doing so is volunteering to be fully exploited.
 
Man this Canadian whistle blower just may take down one of the richest men in the USA, or at least his company.
 
You know, he deserves it. Those fanciful stories of his trying to explain everything away are just no longer believable and for anyone to allow this kind of thing should be held accountable even to the point of criminal charges. A smart PA could find him "in collusion" with the Trump campaign .....
The Trump campaign had nothing to do with anything FB or Cam Analytica are being accused of. MSM are just throwing his name in there to stir the pot.
 
DO IT - 2 TRILLION DOLLARS - close down this abuse of power - split it up - make this news service unbiased by this one persons personal GREED, and EGO. He is a lying **** - who stole the facebook concept - we should not be rewarding this ***, FINE HIM and CLOSE IT DOWN.
 
DO IT - 2 TRILLION DOLLARS - close down this abuse of power - split it up - make this news service unbiased by this one persons personal GREED, and EGO. He is a lying **** - who stole the facebook concept - we should not be rewarding this ***, FINE HIM and CLOSE IT DOWN.

Many likes, for this, WHO'S NEXT?

Thing is ,ol zuck got himself protected ,and has lots of fallguys.to point the finger at.he didn't know that this was happening on his platform. he is still smiling .when I saw him on tv it looked like he was struggling not to crack his signature smile. the "I'M filthy stinking rich" and there's nothing you can do about it smile. its called a Sh!t eating grin around here.
 
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Hey, anyone notice the elephant in the room?

Given CA are a UK based company, and they were instrumental in election meddling (and not only in the US), surely there should be some sort of repercussions for the UK, as is the case for another country allegedly involved in election meddling?

What's good for the goose, is good for the gander.
 
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