In 2018, a class action lawsuit against Facebook parent Meta targeted the pocket of Mark Zuckerberg. The reason: the company Cambridge Analytica, a data analytics firm that worked with Donald Trump’s campaign for President of the United States, obtained access to users’ private information without their consent.
The result of the trial was recently known: Zuckerberg and Meta will have to pay 725 million dollars for the scandal.
In addition to Cambridge Analytica (now defunct), other third parties had access to the information of 87 million Facebook users. However, Between 250 and 280 million people will benefit, eligible for payments as part of the class action settlement.
“Is the largest recovery ever in a data privacy class action lawsuit and the largest amount Facebook has paid to settle a private class action lawsuit.” said the plaintiffs’ representatives, attorneys Derek Loeser and Lesley Weaver.
Although Meta did not admit wrongdoing, it indicated through its spokesperson, Dina Luce: “We are seeking an agreement because it is the best for our community and shareholders. Over the past three years, we’ve renewed our approach to privacy and implemented a comprehensive privacy program.”
“We look forward to continuing to build services that people love and trust with privacy at the forefront.”
This is how the Cambridge Analytica, Meta and Facebook scandal was created
According to CNN, data breach for Cambridge Analytica and other third parties began to spawn because of a psychology professor. He collected data using an app that offered a personality test.
The results were delivered to a service that promised to use sophisticated techniques to influence voters in a high-stakes election.
Donald Trump came to power following the 2016 United States presidential election, winning by 304 electoral votes to Hillary Clinton’s 227.
The work of Cambridge Analytica, according to Reuters, was to gain access to the personal information of millions of Facebook accounts to profile and select voters. This information was obtained without the consent of the psychologist’s users, whose name did not appear in the media.
The scandal prompted government investigations in both the United States and the United Kingdom, including a US congressional hearing starring Mark Zuckerberg.