Home » News » Cambridge Analytica Lawsuit Settled for $725 Million by Meta

Cambridge Analytica Lawsuit Settled for $725 Million by Meta

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In order to resolve a class-action lawsuit brought in 2018, Meta, the parent corporation of Facebook, will pay $725 million. The complaint was filed after Facebook admitted to sharing 87 million users' data with Cambridge Analytica, a British political consulting firm connected to US President Donald Trump's election campaign, without their consent. Through an app created by a third party, Cambridge Analytica was able to acquire Facebook user data. The "This is Your Digital Life" app had rights that gave it access to information about the friends of the 270,000 or so Facebook users who used it. As a result, a dataset with information on 87 million users was created, which the developer then gave to Cambridge Analytica in violation of Facebook's terms of service. The majority of those in the dataset did not consent to have the consulting firm access their data. The unapproved data exchange was discovered in 2018, after The New York Times and The Observer told Facebook that Cambridge Analytica still possessed copies of the data despite having previously assured the social network that it would be deleted. [caption id="attachment_64406" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]Facebook page marketing strategy Facebook[/caption] After deciding it was "no longer sustainable to continue operating the firm," Cambridge Analytica filed for bankruptcy in May 2018. Additional instances of Facebook's questionable data-sharing practices were added to the complaint as the case against Meta went on. In fact, the complaint claimed that Facebook had granted "many third parties access to their Facebook content and information without their authorization" and that it had "failed to appropriately oversee the third parties' access to, and use of, that information." By agreeing to the settlement, Meta is denying any wrongdoing or criminal action. The $725 million arrangement, which still needs to be authorized by a judge, is instead justified by the firm as being "in the greatest interest of our community and stockholders," a Meta representative told Reuters. The deal covers up to 280 million Facebook users, so when the plaintiffs' attorneys take their 25 percent portion, $725 million will be dispersed quite thinly.

By Jozeph P

Journalism explorer, tech Enthusiast. Love to read and write.

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