The FTC would be split on how to hold Facebook responsible for any invasion of privacy



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A new report from The New York Times claims that the Federal Trade Commission is struggling to agree on an appropriate penalty for Facebook's privacy breaches and that its members are specifically trying to determine whether or not CEO Mark Zuckerberg should be held personally liable.

The FTC reportedly imposed a huge fine on Facebook for its lack of privacy protection. It would have freed up $ 3 billion to cover this fine and could be required to create new positions within the company. $ 3 billion would be a slap for the company, since it achieved $ 15.1 billion in revenue last quarter.

the TimeThe report says that the FTC wants to make a statement with a hefty fine against the company (the largest ever awarded in 2012, $ 22.5 million against Google), but its members have have not been able to decide to want to make such a statement. The report quotes people familiar with the discussions who said that not only were they unable to hear about the size of the fine, but "one of the most controversial currents during the negotiations. was the degree to which Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive of Facebook, should be held personally liable for any breach of the agreement. "

The FTC president, Joseph Simons, would have the three Republican members of the commission ready to approve an agreement, the other two Democratic members remaining waiting for a harsher punishment. But Simons would be trying to avoid a decision from the party line, which could have political consequences or eventual litigation. In addition, a response perceived as soft could undermine public confidence in the FTC's ability to adequately supervise technology companies, especially as Europe has put in place its own stricter regulations. . The Commission is expected to take a decision on the issue shortly.

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