Facebook could face multibillion-dollar fine over privacy failures

Facebook and the FTC are reportedly in discussions negotiating a massive fine for past privacy violations.

Credit: Pete Linforth / The Digital Artist

Facebook is in legal trouble again according to an article on the Washington Post. The Federal Trade Commission is reportedly in discussions with the tech giant to settle a multibillion-dollar fine after an investigation into past privacy violations.

This is far from the first time Facebook has found itself in hot water following the Cambridge Analytica scandal last year and the more recent revelation that the company was offering teenagers monthly payments for unfiltered access to their phone’s data.

If this fine comes down it would be the largest the FTC has ever handed out, with the previous record being held by Google when it received a $22.5 million penalty for tracking users of the Safari web browser when it had promised it wouldn’t.

The fine is still in negotiation but if the FTC and Facebook can’t arrive at an agreement, then Facebook could be taken to court over alleged past failures surrounding negligence of user privacy.

Keeping yourself safe and private online is getting more and more crucial by the year so do make sure you’ve had a look at our guide on how to keep yourself as safe as possible.

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By Sean Bradley

By Sean Bradley

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