Facebook could be fined £1billion
Data law to stamp out ‘Wild West’ internet
CULTURE Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday threatened Facebook with fines of up to £1billion if it fails to protect users’ personal data.
He said claims Cambridge Analytica harvested the details of 50 million Americans from the social media platform to manipulate voters had created a “turning point”.
“It is clear rules need to be strengthened,” he said.
He spoke as CA’s suspended chief Alexander Nix was recalled to Parliament to explain “inconsisten- cies” in evidence to MPs. Summoning him, they wrote: “We are interested in asking you again about your claim you ‘do not work with Facebook data’.” World Wide Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee urged Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg, 33, to “fix” the problems. Mr Zuckerberg has written of his and wife Priscilla’s “moral responsibility” to improve the world for daughters August, six months, and Max, two. Attempting to appeal to this side of the multi-billionaire, Sir Tim said: “I can imagine Zuckerberg is devastated that his creation has been abused and misused. I would say to him: ‘You can fix it’.”
Mr Zuckerberg has apologised for the breach during the US election race, won by Mr Trump.
But he could be fined “up to 4% of global turnover if he doesn’t play by Data Protection Bill rules, due to take effect next month”, said Mr Hancock.
He also vowed to beef up the Information Commissioner’s powers to stamp out Wild West behaviour on the internet.
Labour called on the Tories to audit all their CA dealings, while leader Jeremy Corbyn said his party would still use Facebook.
But he added: “There is a serious issue about administration and data harvesting.”