Meta Settles Australian Cambridge Analytica Lawsuit for Record $31.85 Million
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Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, has agreed to pay a record A$50 million ($31.85 million) settlement to Australia's privacy watchdog, bringing to a close lengthy and costly legal proceedings related to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, reports Reuters.
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) had alleged that personal information of some Facebook users was disclosed to the company's personality quiz app, "This is Your Digital Life," as part of the broader Cambridge Analytica data breach.
The OAIC investigation stemmed from reports by The Guardian in early 2018, which revealed that Cambridge Analytica had improperly obtained and used data from millions of Facebook users. Meta had previously faced fines from regulators in the United States and the United Kingdom in 2019 for its role in the scandal.
The Australian regulator had been pursuing Meta since 2020, alleging that personal data of 311,127 Australian Facebook users was "exposed to the risk of being disclosed" to Cambridge Analytica for profiling purposes. In March 2023, the Australian High Court ruled against Meta's appeal, paving the way for the watchdog to continue its prosecution.
"Today's settlement represents the largest ever payment dedicated to addressing concerns about the privacy of individuals in Australia," said Australian Information Commissioner Elizabeth Tydd.
The settlement marks a significant conclusion to the long-running legal battle, with Meta reaching an agreement on a "no admission" basis, according to a Meta spokesperson to Reuters. The resolution brings to a close allegations regarding Meta's past practices related to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Cambridge Analytica, a British consulting firm, was notorious for acquiring and using personal data of millions of Facebook users without their consent. This data was primarily used for political advertising, including activities supporting Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and the Brexit campaign in the United Kingdom.