Facebook's parent company Meta has agreed to pay $50 million to settle a lawsuit with Australia over the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal, the ABC reports. It is the largest privacy settlement ever in Australia.
The settlement will end a long-running case in the Federal Court that has been ongoing since 2020. Facebook illegally disclosed the personal data of millions of users globally and in Australia through its “This is Your Digital Life” app nearly a decade ago. The data then ended up in the hands of consulting firm Cambridge Analytica, raising concerns that the information could be used to build political profiles.
Under the agreement, Meta will appoint an independent party in early 2025 to notify users who are eligible for compensation. Individuals who own a Facebook account and are present in Australia for more than 30 days between 2 November 2013 and 17 December 2015, and who have installed or have friends who installed the app, will be eligible to participate in the program.
Meta will appoint an independent party in early 2025 to notify users eligible for payouts
The compensation will come in two tiers, with users first being able to apply for a basic payout if they have privacy concerns. Cases that demonstrate harm or loss will receive higher compensation. Registration is expected to open in mid-2025.
Australian Information Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd said the settlement not only provided a chance for redress for affected users, but also highlighted the importance of transparency and accountability in the handling of personal data. Meanwhile, a Meta spokesperson said the company had reached a settlement but did not admit wrongdoing, saying its past practices were no longer consistent with how Meta’s products and systems operate today.
The payment follows a $725 million settlement Meta agreed to in 2022 to settle a similar lawsuit in the U.S. The case became one of the biggest scandals in the company’s history, changing the way users and governments around the world view information security on social media.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/meta-dong-y-tra-tien-de-cham-dut-vu-cambridge-analytica-185241218000036031.htm
Comment (0)