,
8 tweets,
2 min read
Read on Twitter
The government just announced its proposed settlement with Facebook for its privacy failures. $5 billion sounds like a lot, but the fine print in the settlement has a lot for $FB to celebrate. I voted no. Here’s why.
1. It doesn't fix the incentives causing these repeat privacy abuses. It doesn't stop $FB from engaging in surveillance or integrating platforms. There are no restrictions on data harvesting tactics -- just paperwork. $FB gets to sign off on what’s acceptable.
2. Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg, and other executives get blanket immunity for their role in the violations. This is wrong and sets a terrible precedent. The law doesn’t give them a special exemption.
3. The settlement fine print gives Facebook broad immunity for “known” and “unknown” violations. What’s covered by these immunity deals? Facebook knows, but the public is kept in the dark.
4. Breaking the law shouldn’t be profitable. $5 billion is a lot, but Facebook can pay out of its profits. The 2012 FTC action against Google included a fine more than 5x the company’s unjust gains. Can we say the same here?
Cambridge Analytica’s tactics of profiling and targeting users were a small-scale reflection of Facebook’s own practices. Notably, the FTC is holding individuals from Cambridge Analytica accountable for misconduct. Not so for Facebook.
Here’s the bottom line: Facebook’s flagrant violations were a direct result of their business model of mass surveillance and manipulation, and this action blesses this model. The settlement does not fix this problem. It now goes to court for approval.
We should all be concerned that the business incentives of big tech platform behavioral advertising spur practices that are dividing our society. When companies break the law and cause massive harm, they need to be held accountable. My full statement: ftc.gov/system/files/d…
