Meta’s $25B fine left out accountability for the Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal
A New Mexico judge’s fine hit Meta for deception about the data privacy violations, not for the harm they caused. A researcher who helped uncover the scandal explains.
According to the New Mexico judge, the $25 billion fine imposed on Meta is not a punishment for the harm caused by the Cambridge Analytica data privacy scandal, but for deceptive statements made by Facebook regarding data privacy. The judge acknowledged the "harm in this matter is difficult to overstate." The source mentions that the harms alleged include exploiting psychological vulnerabilities, targeting people's fears, and discouraging them from voting.
However, the source also notes that Facebook has largely escaped accountability for the underlying political exploitation of the harvested data. The Senate Intelligence Committee's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election did not have access to the corporate communications of Cambridge Analytica or its parent company SCL Group, which suggests the committee may have lacked critical data.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
