The decision was made after the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) imposed that the social network giant Facebook did not offer the appropriate privacy protections on its platform, allowing personal information to be misused. “Facebook has not provided the protection it needs to comply with data protection laws,” UK Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham told reporters. In its report, ICO also recalled that Mark Zuckerberg’s company did not inform users correctly when it discovered that data collected by Aleksandr Kogan had been passed on to third parties. The agency also reviews the conviction of Alexander Nix, former CEO of Cambridge Analytica. Although it is at the highest level allowed by the British legislation, the fine should not cause Facebook to suffer. According to New York Times columnist Kevin Roose, the figure equals to seven minutes of the company’s revenue in the first quarter of 2019. https://twitter.com/kevinroose/status/1016802284141993984 The consequences could have been more serious if the process had begun after the GDPR came into force. According to the Guardian, the company could be fined up to 4% of its global turnover, which would total $1.9 billion, according to the latest balance sheet. The social network giant Facebook has yet to appeal to try to alter the decision of the British authority. “We have worked closely with ICO on its Cambridge Analytica research, just as we have done with the authorities in the United States and other countries,” said Erin Egan, Facebook’s privacy director. “We are reviewing the report and will respond to ICO soon.” Even if it succeeds, Facebook should not close the matter anytime soon. The company is also investigated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The US body wants to know if there has been a breach of a 2011 agreement when the company has agreed to ask users for permission to share information with third parties. So, what do you think about this? Simply share all your views and thoughts in the comment section below.
