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technologyTechnology · 2019
Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook)
The FTC imposed a record $5 billion civil penalty against Facebook for multiple violations of a 2012 consent order requiring affirmative user consent before sharing data with third parties, most visibly through the Cambridge Analytica scandal in which data from approximately 87 million users was harvested without consent. The FTC found Facebook made repeated misrepresentations about user privacy and the effectiveness of its privacy controls. The order imposed far-reaching structural requirements including creation of an independent privacy committee of Facebook's board and personal quarterly privacy certifications from CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Fine Imposed€4.6B
Authority
FTC-US
Regulation
FTC Act Section 5 — Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices
Max fine$51,744 per violation per day for post-order violations; initial enforcement via consent orders without direct fines
Statusactive
Key Takeaways
- Violating an existing FTC consent order multiplies both penalty exposure and structural obligations — the 2012 order's failures created the conditions for Cambridge Analytica and resulted in a penalty 47× larger than any previous FTC privacy action.