Illinois County Sues Cambridge Analytica For Fraud On Behalf Of Residents

55 NEW OXFORD STREET, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - 2018/03/22: The London headquarters of Cambridge Analytica.Facebook expressed outrage over the misuse of its data as Cambridge Analytica, the British firm at the centre of a major scandal rocking the social media giant, suspended its chief executive. (Photo by Brais G. Rouco/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
55 NEW OXFORD STREET, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - 2018/03/22: The London headquarters of Cambridge Analytica. Facebook expressed outrage over the misuse of its data as Cambridge Analytica, the British firm at the centre... 55 NEW OXFORD STREET, LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - 2018/03/22: The London headquarters of Cambridge Analytica. Facebook expressed outrage over the misuse of its data as Cambridge Analytica, the British firm at the centre of a major scandal rocking the social media giant, suspended its chief executive. (Photo by Brais G. Rouco/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) MORE LESS
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CHICAGO (AP) — Cook County is suing Facebook and Cambridge Analytica for fraud after revelations that the latter obtained data on millions of Facebook users.

The lawsuit filed Friday in Cook County Circuit Court alleges Trump-affiliated political consulting firm Cambridge Analytica deceived the millions of Illinois Facebook users whose information it collected. It says Facebook failed to protect its users’ privacy and misrepresented how their data would be used.

London-based Cambridge Analytica has been accused of using Facebook data to influence voter behavior in U.S. elections.

The Chicago Tribune reports the lawsuit filed by Cook County State’s Attorney Kimberly Foxx on behalf of Illinois residents brings one consumer fraud count each against Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. It seeks $50,000 fines for each violation of the law.

Neither company has commented on the lawsuit.

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