Security News > 2020 > January > Facebook's FTC Privacy Settlement Challenged in Court

Six months after Facebook agreed to a landmark privacy settlement with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission that included a record $5 billion fine, a federal judge is still considering objections from advocacy groups that claim the deal doesn't go far enough.

Judge Timothy J. Kelly has given Facebook and the FTC until Jan. 24 to respond to objections raised by several privacy and consumer advocacy groups, including the Electronic Privacy Information Center, which raised concerns about whether the settlement does enough to protect users' data and address privacy concerns, according to court documents filed in the case.

In its legal brief, EPIC's attorneys argue that the new settlement is not substantially different than the previous privacy settlement that Facebook and the FTC reached in 2012.

The group argues the program is not not substantially different than other privacy controls that were part of the 2012 settlement with the FTC. "There is no reason to believe this will be any more effective at preventing privacy abuses," EPIC states.

In a statement to ISMG, a FTC spokesperson noted that "The settlement we announced this summer imposes a record-setting $5 billion penalty and requires widespread changes in how Facebook approaches privacy. This settlement will greatly benefit consumers, and we are confident the court will approve it."

News URL

https://www.inforisktoday.com/facebooks-ftc-privacy-settlement-challenged-in-court-a-13597