Facebook is in talks with the US Federal Trade Commission to settle the regulator's investigation into Facebook’s privacy practices, the Washington Post reports. According to two people familiar with the probe, the settlement is expected to include a multi-billion-dollar fine for the company, the largest the agency has ever imposed on a technology company.
The two sides have not yet agreed on an exact amount for the fine. Facebook has expressed initial concern with the FTC’s demands, one of the people said. If talks break down, the FTC could take the matter to court.
Facebook confirmed to the Post that it's in discussions with the agency but declined to comment further. The FTC declined to comment.
The FTC launched the investigation into Facebook in March 2018 in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal. The inquiry focuses on whether Facebook’s conduct — along with a series of additional privacy mishaps made public in recent months — amount to violations of a 2011 agreement Facebook brokered with the FTC to improve its privacy practices. Facebook has maintained it did not breach that accord.
The FTC agreement stipulated that Facebook had to be more transparent and notify users in a clearer way before it shares personal data with third parties. The order also barred Facebook from deceiving users about its privacy practices, and it instituted regular checkups on the way it uses data.
If Facebook agrees to settle with the FTC over the latest accusations, the company may see new conditions imposed or the current agreement extended. Any settlement with the FTC, including the fine, remains subject to court approval.
