TEXAS LAWSUIT EXPOSES FACEBOOK’S MASSIVE VIOLATION OF PRIVACY
In a stunning blow to the tech giant, Texas has slapped Facebook with a whopping $1.4 billion fine for its egregious abuse of user privacy. The settlement, the largest ever resulting from a single state’s action, reveals the shocking extent to which Facebook has been harvesting Texans’ sensitive biometric data without their consent.
FACEBOOK’S ‘TAG SUGGESTIONS’ FEATURE EXPOSED AS MASS SURVEILLANCE TOOL
The tech giant’s "Tag Suggestions" feature, which allows users to easily identify individuals in photos, was actually a covert operation to collect and exploit Texans’ facial recognition data. Facebook’s automated system captured and used the biometric data of millions of Texans without their knowledge or consent, a blatant violation of the state’s Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier (CUBI) Act.
TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON UNLEASHES FURY ON FACEBOOK
"Any abuse of Texans’ sensitive data will be met with the full force of the law," Paxton thundered in a statement. "Facebook’s actions are a clear example of the type of reckless disregard for privacy that we will not tolerate in our state."
META’S PATHETIC APOLOGY FALLS FLAT
In a weak attempt to salvage its reputation, Meta spokesperson Christopher Sgro claimed the company was "pleased to resolve this matter" and expressed a desire to "deepen [its] business investments in Texas." But it’s too little, too late. The damage is done, and the people of Texas have every right to demand accountability from Facebook.
THE BATTLE FOR PRIVACY HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN
This landmark settlement is a wake-up call to all tech companies that think they can exploit users’ privacy with impunity. The people of Texas have sent a clear message: our data is not yours to play with. The question is, will the rest of the country follow suit?
