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Guide to potential regulatory actions in wake of Facebook-Cambridge Analytica debacle

Axios: “For years, people didn’t mind handing their personal information over to social networks so they could chat with friends or take fun quizzes. That’s changing in the wake of Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica scandal. What’s next: There are lots of signals that data privacy rules of some sort are on the way — including congressional hearings and Mark Zuckerberg’s acknowledgment that regulations may not be such a bad thing. The social network also faces state and federal investigations. Look for proposals on data portability, transparency and new opt-in rules. New privacy rules in Europe are also a template. No federal law spells out what companies trading in personal information can do with user data. No federal agency has clear jurisdiction over writing rules for internet companies. And public concern about personal data falling into the wrong hands has only recently swelled. Now lawmakers are feeling the heat, but they’re far from a consensus on the right approach. What we’re hearing: Congressional aides tell Axios that Zuckerberg’s testimony will help determine the next steps. A few options are getting attention:…”

  • See also this Facebook blog posting: Authenticity Matters: The IRA Has No Place on Facebook – “This morning we removed 70 Facebook and 65 Instagram accounts — as well as 138 Facebook Pages — that were controlled by the Russia-based Internet Research Agency (IRA). Many of the Pages also ran ads, all of which have been removed. Of the Pages that had content, the vast majority of them (95%) were in Russian — targeted either at people living in Russia or Russian-speakers around the world including from neighboring countries like Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine…”
  • See also Knowledge@Wharton: What Facebook Can Do to Rebuild Trust

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