Facebook on hot seat over leaked profile data

Facebook critics are questioning the social media giant’s commitment to transparency and digital ethics after a political intelligence firm under scrutiny from federal investigators allegedly exploited access to up to 50 million personal profiles.

Facebook confirmed Friday that Strategic Communication Laboratories-owned Cambridge Analytica had obtained profiles accessed by another developer, which had properly gotten them when users signed up for a personality a pp called“this is your digital life .”

The company acknowledged that it had learned in 2015 that the developer had broken its rules by giving the profile data to Cambridge Analytica.

Thickening the entanglement for Facebook is the fact that Cambridge Analytica, which has ties to highprofile Trump backers, has been under scrutiny by Justice Department investigator Robert Mueller during his investigation into Russian interference in U.S. politics.

Cambridge Analytica said Saturday in a statement that it fully complied with Facebook’s terms of service and was working with the social media company to resolve the matter.