Canada’s Privacy Commissioner Launches Facebook Investigation

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada has announced it has opened up an investigation into Facebook, related to recent media reports of the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal.

Opc blk en

“We have received a complaint against Facebook in relation to allegations involving Cambridge Analytica and have therefore opened a formal investigation,” said Commissioner Daniel Therrien, in a statement. “The first step will be to confirm with the company whether the personal information of Facebook users in Canada was affected.”

According to early details, the investigation will take a look at Facebook’s compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Canada’s private sector privacy law.

“The allegations we’ve seen in media reports raise extremely important privacy questions. The digital world, and social media in particular, have become entrenched in our daily lives and people want their rights to be respected,” added Therrien.

Canadian officials will remain in contact with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office and the latter’s ongoing related investigation.

“Ultimately, our goal is to ensure that the privacy rights of Canadian Facebook users are protected,” explained the Commissioner.

Earlier today, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg admitted the company made “mistakes” in the handling of the how developers accessed private user information, and outlined new steps coming to clamp down on platform abuse.

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Riddlemethis
Riddlemethis
8 years ago

Mr. Z apologized….since Canadians are the #1 most users who use FB, they will just accept his apology and “forget” what happened and not realize Z got caught, hence the apology. No other reason for it and don’t expect your privacy to be secure with FB.

It's Me
It's Me
Reply to  Riddlemethis
8 years ago

Did he apologize?

What steps did he say they’d take to stop such abuse in the future? Pinky swear and cross their hearts?

Facebook always allowed any apps to collect the same data and more. All you had to do was promise not to break their rules. Then you were able to do whatever you want.

And google is the much better threat here. They have mountains and mountains of more data on billions of more users.

Gary
Reply to  Riddlemethis
8 years ago

I don’t think the words “sorry” or “apologize” were written in his statement on Facebook.

Aleks Oniszczak
Aleks Oniszczak
8 years ago

Here’s an interesting quote from Zuckerberg about Facebook and Privacy reported by Business Insider (May 13, 2010)

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his company are suddenly facing a big new round of scrutiny and criticism about their cavalier attitude toward user privacy. An early instant messenger exchange Mark had with a college friend won’t help put these concerns to rest. According to SAI sources, the following exchange is between a 19-year-old Mark Zuckerberg and a friend shortly after Mark launched The Facebook in his dorm room:

Zuck: Yeah so if you ever need info about anyone at Harvard

Zuck: Just ask.

Zuck: I have over 4,000 emails, pictures, addresses, SNS

[Redacted Friend’s Name]: What? How’d you manage that one?

Zuck: People just submitted it.

Zuck: I don’t know why.

Zuck: They “trust me”

Zuck: Dumb fucks.

erth
erth
8 years ago

let me guess, PM socks will pass a law to make facebook illegal and then the feds will create a canadian facebook app, called beaverbook, which will replace facebook. it will suck, sold as free, but actually cost billions of dollars of tax money and no one will use it.

dkishome
dkishome
8 years ago

turn back time if you want privacy and sorry for what because users are to stupid to relalize that everything is public on the internet..

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