Facebook Hit With $5bn “Slap On The Wrist” Following Data Scandals

Facebook Hit With $5bn “Slap On The Wrist” Following Data Scandals

Facebook has reportedly been hit with a $US5 billion fine in light of the Cambridge Analytica scandal last year, but critics still aren’t happy.

It was reported by both The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, that Facebook and regulating body the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reached the settlement over Facebook’s repeated privacy violations, thus ending the commission’s investigation into the social media platform, which began in March 2018.

The vote was 3-2 in favour of approving the fine, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Despite the fine being one of the biggest of its kind, many were quick to point out its relative insignificance for a company the size of Facebook.

With Facebook revealing it had made $15 billion in quarterly revenue in its latest earnings report, Democratic Rep. David Cicilline described the punishment as nothing more than a “slap on a wrist”.

It is unclear whether there is any additional punishment for Facebook adjacent to the fine.

Facebook’s stock price actually went up after the fine was announced.




Please login with linkedin to comment

Cambridge Analytica Data Facebook fine

Latest News

Nielsen Data Reveals Brands Spending Big To Attract Aussie Tourists
  • Advertising

Nielsen Data Reveals Brands Spending Big To Attract Aussie Tourists

Nielsen Ad Intel data has revealed that the travel and tourism industry spent more than $153 million on advertising in Australia in Q1, 2024 – an increase of eight per cent from the previous quarter, with TripADeal the biggest spender, followed by Virgin Australia, then the Flight Centre-owned Ignite Travel. As many Australians return from […]

Cosmo Returns To Australia!
  • Media

Cosmo Returns To Australia!

Ever get the feeling we've weirdly warped back to 1988 at the moment? Confirm it with the relaunch of Cosmo in print.