Facebook fined €1.5 million for Cambridge Analytica scandal

Facebook has been fined in Brazil 1.5 million euros for the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The apps of the controversial data company have unlawfully processed the data of more than 443,000 Brazilians.

It concerns a fine of 6.6 million real, converted about 1.46 million euros. It was distributed by the Ministry of Justice, after an investigation by the Department of Consumer Rights and Protection. The fine comes in response to the Cambridge Analytica scandal. In April 2018, it was announced that Brazilian citizens had also been affected. It would be about 443,000 Brazilians. An exact number is not mentioned.

Cambridge Analytica was a data company that collected data from Facebook users by offering apps through the platform. This happened in Brazil mainly through an app called thisisyourdigitallife. With that app, users could take a personality test via a quiz. The app not only collected data from the user himself, but also from his friends. They had not given permission for this. The data was later used in election campaigns, among other things. Prosecutors say Facebook’s consent model and app were flawed. Because data was shared with the app makers by default, companies should be much more careful about offering such apps. That is why Facebook has now been sued instead of the app maker, the ministry says.

Facebook has ten days to appeal the fine. The company has not yet said whether it will do so. The company achieved a turnover of 44.2 billion euros in the first three quarters of 2019.