The UK Parliamentary committee says Facebook is acting like a digital gangsters

Date:

Trending

Lashing out at Facebook for behaving like “digital gangsters” in the online world, a UK parliamentary committee concluded that the social networking giant intentionally and knowingly violated both data privacy and anti-competition laws.

- Advertisement -

In its final report on Monday after an 18-month investigation into disinformation and “fake news“, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) select committee of the UK Parliament called for stricter regulation to make Facebook end spread of disinformation on its platform.

“Democracy is at risk from the malicious and relentless targeting of citizens with disinformation and personalised ‘dark adverts’ from unidentifiable sources, delivered through the major social media platforms we use everyday,” Damian Collins, Chair of the DCMS Committee, said in a statement.

- Advertisement -

The report highlights Facebook documents obtained by the committee relating to a Californian court case brought by US-based app developer Six4Three.

Through scrutiny of internal Facebook emails between 2011 and 2015, the report found evidence to indicate that the company was willing to override its users’ privacy settings in order to transfer data to some app developers.

The investigation found that Facebook was willing to charge high prices in advertising to some developers, for the exchange of data, and starve some developers – such as Six4Three – of that data, contributing to them losing their business.

The now-defunct start-up Six4Three alleged that Facebook collected information on users and their friends through its apps.

The report also named Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg who refused summons to appear before the committee three times.

“By choosing not to appear before the Committee and by choosing not to respond personally to any of our invitations, Mark Zuckerberg has shown contempt towards both the UK Parliament and the ‘International Grand Committee’, involving members from nine legislatures from around the world,” the report said.

“Mark Zuckerberg continually fails to show the levels of leadership and personal responsibility that should be expected from someone who sits at the top of one of the world’s biggest companies,” Collins said.

Launched in 2017, the inquiry intensified after the Cambridge Analytica data-harvesting scandal became public.

In the 108-page report, the UK lawmakers accused Facebook of continuing to prioritise shareholders’ profits over users’ privacy rights.

“We are open to meaningful regulation and support the committee’s recommendation for electoral law reform,” Karim Palant, Facebook’s UK public policy manager, was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

THE SNAPSHOTS

Sign up to get quick snaps of everyday happening, directly in your inbox.

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

- Advertisement -

Support our independent journalism PayPal (Outside India) For PayU (For Indian Readers).

Krishna Mali
Krishna Mali
Founder & Group Editor of TechGraph.

More Latest Stories

More Articles

How AI-Powered Online Platforms Are Revolutionizing Life Insurance Recommendations

Anyone with a child, a spouse, a life partner, or a parent as a dependent needs life insurance. Purchasing a life insurance product has...

Loans in Crypto Wallet: Useful Feature or a Security Threat?

Integrating crypto loans into digital wallets is gaining traction, allowing users to borrow and lend crypto assets without the need for traditional financial institutions. With DeFi revolutionizing lending, crypto loans provide an alternative to banks while offering quick access to liquidity. However, concerns about security...

From Arcade to Adventure – The Evolving Face of Entertainment and Why It Counts

Entertainment has always been a reflection of the shifting expectations of society. Earlier, people...

How Technology Helps Combat Various Viruses and Diseases

Technology has transformed the ways we approach vaccines, particularly for the flu. One noteworthy...

The Long-Term Power of Investing: Selecting Undervalued Industries

Investing can seem overwhelming, especially for beginners, as the numerous options and strategies available...

The Impact of EdTech on Student Outcomes in Higher Education

The introduction of interactive whiteboards in the early 1990s marked a major shift in...

Shell Executive Robin Mooldijk Sells €1.69 Mn in Shares

Shell plc’s Projects & Technology Director, Robin Mooldijk, has offloaded 50,000 shares in the...

HR Chief Amy Coleman Reports Over 46,000 Microsoft Shares in SEC Filing

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Chief Human Resources Officer, Amy Coleman, has reported her stock holdings...

12 Eye-Popping Hacks to Make Your Next Business Presentation Sparkle

Business presentations are often necessary to gain new clients and showcase what it is you can offer, but more often than not, they end...

BGC Group raises $700 Mn in bond sale to refinance debt

BGC Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: BGC) has finalized a $700 million private offering of senior...

Alphabet Legal Chief John Kent Walker to Sell $2Mn in Shares via Morgan Stanley

Alphabet Inc.’s (NASDAQ: GOOGL) Chief Legal Officer, John Kent Walker Jr., has filed to...

From Startup to Success: Essential Steps for Landscaping Entrepreneurs

Starting a landscaping business is so exciting, blending creativity with the reward of transforming...

Predictive Analytics: The Key to Supply Chain Resilience

In today’s interconnected global economy, supply chains are the lifeblood of businesses, weaving intricate...

Empowering Growth: Boosting the Robotics Sector with Targeted Support

India's robotics sector is emerging as a key area of technological progress, driving innovation across industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, and agriculture. With...

Software and Technology Changing the Industry

The advent of software and technological advancements has been a game-changer across various industries. From enhancing productivity to transforming operational dynamics, tech plays an integral role today. This article delves into how software and technology are revolutionizing industries worldwide, providing insights and data to...

Jensen Huang Offloads $49.8Mn in Nvidia Shares

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) CEO and President Jen-Hsun Huang has disclosed the sale of 431,611...

Canada, Australia Partner to Build $6 Bn Arctic Radar System

In a bid to enhance Arctic and national security, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney...

Why Smart Cities Are the Future of Water Conservation

Water conservation has become an important factor due to climate change and worsened water...

Interview: Vserve CEO Siva Balakrishnan on SEO Secrets for Amazon Seller Success

In an interview with TechGraph, Siva Balakrishnan, CEO and Founder of Vserve, shared how...

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai Increases Stocks Holdings Amid Dividend Adjustment

According to a regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Alphabet...

Layer PR Wins SME News UK Awards, Expands to Bengaluru

Layer PR, a global public relations firm owned by TechGraph, has secured two major...
00:02:59

US President Trump Presses NATO on Greenland Annexation Plans

During a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Thursday, US President Donald Trump...
00:01:37

UK PM Kier Starmer Abolishes NHS England To Bring Health Services Under Govt Control

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to abolish NHS England and bring...

The Role of Edge Computing in AI-Powered Cloud Solutions

With businesses including artificial intelligence (AI) in their operations, cloud computing has grown in...

From Startup to Success: Essential Steps for Landscaping Entrepreneurs

Starting a landscaping business is so exciting, blending creativity with the reward of transforming...

Meta Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Newstead Offloads Shares as Part of Trading Plan

According to regulatory filings, Jennifer Newstead, Chief Legal Officer at Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:...

Nvidia Director Aarti Shah to Sell Shares Worth $2.37 Mn

Aarti S. Shah, a director at NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA), has filed a notice...

Alphabet COA Amie Thuener O’Toole Increases Stock Holdings

In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Alphabet Inc.’s (NASDAQ...

Elon Musk’s X Sues Indian Govt Over Content Regulation Clash

X Corp, an Elon Musk-owned social media firm, sued the Indian government in the...

Predictive Analytics: The Key to Supply Chain Resilience

In today’s interconnected global economy, supply chains are the lifeblood of businesses, weaving intricate...

UK PM Kier Starmer Abolishes NHS England To Bring Health Services Under Govt Control

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to abolish NHS England and bring...

VIDEO: US President Donald Trump Calls NBC A ‘Worst Network’ On Television

During a press meeting at the Oval Office on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump...

The Role of Edge Computing in AI-Powered Cloud Solutions

With businesses including artificial intelligence (AI) in their operations, cloud computing has grown in...