EU: Lawmakers to investigate Facebook over massive data breach

EU lawmakers will investigate whether the data of more than 50 million Facebook users has been misused, the head of European Parliament said Monday.

Antonio Tajani urged the social media giant to take more responsibility, saying on Twitter that “allegations of misuse of Facebook user data is an unacceptable violation of our citizens’ privacy rights.”

Data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica harvested private information from more than 50 million Facebook users in developing techniques to support President Donald Trump’s 2016 election campaign, the New York Times and London’s Observer reported Saturday.

Vera Jourova, the EU Justice Commissioner also said in a statement that she plans to discuss the incident with the social network and with the US government on her visit to the United States this week.
“From a European Union perspective, the misuse for political purposes of personal data belonging to Facebook users – if confirmed – is not acceptable,” she said in a statement.

A spokesman for Theresa May said the British prime minister expects Facebook and Cambridge Analytica to co-operate fully with the investigation.

“The allegations are clearly very concerning. It is essential that people can have confidence that their personal data will be protected and used in an appropriate way,” the spokesman said. “So it is absolutely right that the Information Commissioner is investigating this matter. We expect Facebook, Cambridge Analytica and all the organisations involved to cooperate fully.”

Full Content: Financial Times

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