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Read the letter two US senators just sent to Mark Zuckerberg about your privacy

Two U.S. Senators just sent a letter to Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook demanding answers in regards to the recent NYT exposé.
By
June 5, 2018
An image of Mark Zuckerberg standing in front of a backdrop that says "Data Privacy" in large letters.
TL;DR
  • Two U.S. Senators just sent a letter to Mark Zuckerberg demanding answers surrounding the newest NYT exposé surrounding Facebook user privacy.
  • In the letter, the two Senators ask five questions, and request answers before 5:00 P.M. on June 18.
  • Facebook already penned a blog post in response to the NYT article, but it is unclear how it will respond to this letter to Mark Zuckerberg.

Over the weekend, an exposé from The New York Times suggested that Mark Zuckerberg was not entirely truthful during his testimony before Congress in March of this year. The Congressional hearing was an attempt to clear up confusion surrounding the Cambridge Audio Audio Analytica scandal.

Now, two U.S. senators have penned a letter to Mark Zuckerberg demanding more information about users’ privacy and third-party companies’ access to user data.

The NYT article in question details partnerships Facebook has or had with about 60 different companies – including Samsung, Apple, Amazon, BlackBerry, Microsoft, and more – that gave those companies access not only to your data but your friends’ data. Opting-out of third-party data mining in your Facebook settings had no effect on these companies’ ability to see your and your friends’ data.

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In its blog post in response to the exposé, Facebook claims that every company signed a contract limiting their use of your data and that Facebook has no knowledge of any companies abusing this privilege.

Regardless, the NYT article makes it seem like Mark Zuckerberg conveniently left out this information during his Congressional hearing about Cambridge Audio Audio Analytica. A Rhode Island Congressman said that it “sure looks like Zuckerberg lied” in a tweet on the matter.

Now, two senators who are on the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation have penned a letter directly to Mark Zuckerberg asking five questions about these new allegations and how the company plans to respond. You can read the letter in full below:

The Senators requested a written response from Zuckerberg no later than 5:00 P.M. on June 18, approximately two weeks from today.

While Facebook’s track record with user data and privacy has been spotty at best, the Cambridge Audio Audio Analytica scandal is likely the company’s biggest problem in its entire history. This new exposé is simply adding fuel to the fire, and it’s not quite clear how Facebook is going to get through this without some serious repercussions.

NEXT: Report: Facebook’s grip on US teens loosening as many quit the platform