Markey Warns of Privacy With Possible Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram Integration
Facebook's plan to integrate messaging services WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger raises privacy concerns, Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., said Friday. “We need more than mere assurances from the company that this move will not come at the expense of users’…
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data privacy and security,” Markey responded to reports. Emailed a Facebook spokesperson: "We're working on making more of our messaging products end-to-end encrypted and considering ways to make it easier to reach friends and family across networks ... There is a lot of discussion and debate as we begin the long process of figuring out all the details of how this will work.” The FTC should fine Facebook more than $2 billion for violations in the Cambridge Analytica breach, groups wrote Chairman Joe Simons Thursday. Electronic Privacy Information Center, Color of Change, Government Accountability Project and Open Market Institute alleged FTC Act violations. Such infractions can result in a $41,000 fine per offense, the groups wrote, and Facebook said as many as 70 million Americans were affected. “Even generously assuming that each affected person was subject to only one violation of the order, a thousand dollar fine per violation would necessitate a $70 billion fine. Our point is not to argue for a fine of this scale, but to underscore the authority the FTC possesses to impose consequential fines,” they wrote. The agency should also require Facebook to “unwind” its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram, the groups said, citing failures to protect WhatsApp user data. The commission didn’t comment. Facebook declined comment on the investigation.