British authorities have claimed that Facebook has dodged debate on the topic of lack of privacy on its platform and “consistently understated” the perils of data leaks. The recent revelation that Cambridge Analytica exploited Facebook’s ad platform by acquiring and using user data illegally has only increased troubles for Facebook and chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg.
British legislator and the head of the parliamentary committee on media, Damian Collins, has called Zuckerberg out, saying he should take responsibility for the menace and “stop hiding behind his Facebook page.” Collins said that Zuckerberg or one of the chief Facebook executives will be subject to interrogation by the committee which looks into matters such as fake news.
Collins said that he also plans to summon Alexander Nix, the chief of Cambridge Analytica, to reappear before the committee. He said that Nix, during his earlier visit, had passed on false information and misled the Parliament.
Back in 2015, Cambridge Analytica had claimed to destroy the data it collected, but the claim was later determined to be incorrect. As per TIME, a Cambridge Analytica ex-employee Chris Wylie revealed that the company obtained data of more than 50 million Facebook users for the purpose of psychological profiling of users and targeting ads. Notably, the company worked with the presidential campaign of Donald Trump, and data acquired through illegal means was used to sway voters through fake news and disinformation campaigns.
This data was acquired by the company using a personality quiz app that pulled up Facebook data of users, as well as their friends who had a lower privacy guard. Wylie alleged that Facebook was aware of the activity, but did not take any action, and as a matter of fact – facilitated the rogue act.
