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.
Epic.
I’m sure Zuck is having nightmares and flop sweat.
I sure hope the muck washes high enough to get the Mercers covered.
And I sure hope that the investigative reporters out there who are chasing down the new incarnations of Cambridge Analytica, its investors (e.g., Mercers) and employees (e.g., Nix) and its parent company will continue nipping at their heels. May they never have a days peace until they all land in pokey.
Sadly, it is unlikely that they could be sued into submission. Precedent has been set by our incredible politicians, and will most definitely be used. If a bank is too big to fail, imagine FaceBook (Google, Microsoft et al) failing. They have wound themselves so deeply into today’s economy that killing them off would be near impossible without significant strain.
If Facebook were to get rolled as a lesson to others…remember Lehman Brothers
This should be happening, all over the country. Sadly some state officials likely appreciated the CA work.