DC Attorney General Sues Mark Zuckerberg Over Cambridge Analytica Data

DC AG Karl Racine cites “a trove of evidence unearthed during the litigation process in the ongoing case involving Facebook” as the reason for the suit.

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 Facebook co-founder, Chairman, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a combined Senate Judiciary and Commerce committee hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on April 10, 2018, in Washington, DC.
Facebook co-founder, Chairman, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies before a combined Senate Judiciary and Commerce committee hearing in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on April 10, 2018, in Washington, DC.
Photo: Zach Gibson (Getty Images)

Washington, DC, Attorney General Karl Racine has sued Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly failing to protect consumer data following the Cambridge Analytica data leak, according to CNN.

Racine’s accusations haven’t changed since the earlier filing last year. The lawsuit alleges that Zuckerberg was “responsible for” and “had the clear ability” to control Facebook operations and enabled Cambridge Analytica to use consumer data. Racine’s office cited the reason for the suit being possible was “a trove of evidence unearthed during the litigation process in the ongoing case involving Facebook.”

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From CNN:

“The evidence shows Mr. Zuckerberg was personally involved in Facebook’s failure to protect the privacy and data of its users leading directly to the Cambridge Analytica incident,” Racine said in a statement Monday.

“This unprecedented security breach exposed tens of millions of Americans’ personal information, and Mr. Zuckerberg’s policies enabled a multi-year effort to mislead users about the extent of Facebook’s wrongful conduct. This lawsuit is not only warranted, but necessary, and sends a message that corporate leaders, including CEOs, will be held accountable for their actions.”

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The lawsuit also alleges that third-party firms like Cambridge Analytica got data from 87 million Americans and half of District of Columbia residents. In 2019, the Federal Trade Commission fined Facebook $5 billion over the incident and required the company to abide by new restrictions to institute greater accountability in decisions that affect user privacy.

Racine’s complaint seeks to highlight Zuckerberg’s personal involvement in decisions surrounding Facebook’s data practices. It alleges, among other things, that Zuckerberg “provided direct input on Facebook’s internal policies relating to data sharing on the Platform, and was so involved that he personally reviewed certain applications’ use of data.”