Skip to main content

Facebook to hold crisis meeting without Zuckerberg

New post


Facebook says it may take legal action
Image:Facebook says it may take legal action
Facebook is holding an open meeting for all employees following allegations that data belonging to its users was harvested by Cambridge Analytica.
The company's chief executive and founder Mark Zuckerberg has not commented on the scandal nor made a public appearance since the story broke.
Mr Zuckerberg will not be present to lead Tuesday's meeting, which instead will be chaired by Facebook's deputy general counsel, Paul Grewal.
Cambridge Analytica is accused of using the personal data of 50 million Facebook users to influence the US presidential election in 2016.
The crisis meeting follows a stock fall which wiped $37bn (£26bn) off its value as investigations are launched by the UK's Information Commissioner as well as European authorities.
According to an internal calendar invitation seen by technology publication The Verge, the meeting is scheduled for 10am Pacific Time (5pm UK time) today.
The login page of Facebook's website
Video:EU to probe Facebook over data usage
The Information Commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, has sought an urgent court warrant to search the premises of Cambridge Analytica in London for evidence of any breaches of the Data Protection Act.
Ms Denham is pursuing evidence as part of her look at the company's use of data analytics for political purposes and has filed for the warrant after Cambridge Analytica failed to respond to a deadline for access to its records.
It follows news that Facebook's staff were themselves attending Cambridge Analytica's offices on Monday night, which Ms Denham demanded they cease, stating that the social media company's search "would potentially compromise a regulatory investigation".
The Prime Minister has called on the company to "co-operate fully" with the Information Commissioner, with Downing Street describing allegations that Cambridge Analytica harvested more than 50 million Facebook profiles in a data breach as "very concerning".
The claims have prompted calls for either Mr Zuckerberg or another senior executive to give evidence to MPs.
Facebook has also called off its own search of Cambridge Analytica premises at the Information Commissioner's request.
The elections consultancy firm has denied engaging in "entrapment, bribes or so-called 'honeytraps'" in the course of its work.

In an undercover investigation, Channel 4 News secretly filmed Cambridge Analytica's chief executive Alexander Nix speaking to a reporter posing as a potential client from Sri Lanka.
Raising the possibility of "somebody posing as a wealthy developer" in an explanation of the company's election services, Mr Nix said: "They will offer a large amount of money to the candidate, to finance his campaign in exchange for land.
"For instance, we'll have the whole thing recorded on cameras, we'll blank out the face of our guy and then post it on the internet."
Mr Nix also spoke of sending "very beautiful" Ukrainian girls to a candidate's house, while he also added: "It sounds a dreadful thing to say but these are things that don't necessarily need to be true as long as they're believed."
preview image
Video:Claims data breach affected 50 million Facebook users
Cambridge Analytica claimed the Channel 4 News report was "edited and scripted to grossly misrepresent the nature of those conversations and how the company conducts its business".
The company said: "Assessing the legality and reputational risks associated with new projects is critical for us, and we routinely undertake conversations with prospective clients to try to tease out any unethical or illegal intentions.
"The two Cambridge Analytica executives at the meeting humoured these questions and actively encouraged the prospective client to disclose his intentions.
"They left with grave concerns and did not meet with him again."
Accompanying the statement on Cambridge Analytica's website, Mr Nix added: "In playing along with this line of conversation, and partly to spare our 'client' from embarrassment, we entertained a series of ludicrous hypothetical scenarios.
"I am aware how this looks, but it is simply not the case. I must emphatically state that Cambridge Analytica does not condone or engage in entrapment, bribes or so-called 'honeytraps', and nor does it use untrue material for any purpose.
"I deeply regret my role in the meeting and I have already apologised to staff. I should have recognised where the prospective client was taking our conversations and ended the relationship sooner."

Comments

TRENDING

Reasons why Julian McMahon Is Leaving CBS Drama Series ‘FBI: Most Wanted

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed President Donald Trump to transfer billions of dollars of military funding in order to construct hundreds of miles of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona, California and New Mexico.

Bella Shmurda honors Mohbad with ‘KPK’ performance in UK

Police now uses dead fingers to unlock phones

Sausage and Peppers Pasta With Broccoli : Italian Dishes To Try

Soy Sauce Noodles With Cabbage and Fried Eggs Recipe

Loq step up

How to make Blueberry Muffins

Popular posts from this blog

Reasons why Julian McMahon Is Leaving CBS Drama Series ‘FBI: Most Wanted

Julian McMahon Is Leaving CBS Drama Series ‘FBI: Most Wanted Julian McMahon, star of FBI: Most Wanted, is allegedly leaving the CBS wrongdoing show after very nearly three seasons. McMahon's last episode as unsaid specialist Jess LaCroix is scheduled to shoot one week from now and will air on March 8. To make up for the shortcoming left by McMahon's leave, the show is relied upon to present another person later this season. LaCroix is depicted as an "specialist's representative" and top of the group from the FBI's Most Wanted Unit which is doled out the most severe and confounded cases. As per Deadline, sources have said that McMahon moved toward the FBI: Most Wanted leader makers, including Dick Wolf and Peter Jankowski, about leaving the series early this season. "Throughout recent months, the makers of FBI: Most Wanted and I have had conversations about my takeoff from the show for extra innovative pursuits and the progress of my personality Jess LaCro...

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed President Donald Trump to transfer billions of dollars of military funding in order to construct hundreds of miles of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona, California and New Mexico.

The Supreme Court on Friday allowed President Donald Trump to transfer billions of dollars of military funding in order to construct hundreds of miles of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona, California and New Mexico. The funding transfer was challenged by the environmental nonprofit Sierra Club and a border area advocacy group in February, shortly after Trump announced he would move forward with plans to construct the wall despite opposition from Congress. The fight over border wall funding sparked the longest federal government shutdown in history. President Donald Trump tours the area around the U.S.-Mexico border wall in Calexico, California, U.S., April 5, 2019. The Supreme Court on Friday allowed  President Donald Trump  to transfer billions of dollars of military funding in order to construct hundreds of miles of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona, California and New Mexico. The funding transfer was challenged by ...

Bella Shmurda honors Mohbad with ‘KPK’ performance in UK

 Bella Shmurda honors Mohbad with ‘KPK’ performance in UK Nigerian singer and songwriter Bella Shmurda paid homage to his late friend and colleague Mohbad by performing his smash hit ‘KPK’ at a UK show. Mohbad, whose real name was Ilerioluwa Oladimeji, died in a car crash in December 2023, leaving behind a musical legacy that moved many people. Bella Shmurda’s rendition of ‘KPK’ was a heartfelt tribute to his buddy, and it revealed the strength of their bond. In a world where many forget their friends after becoming successful, Bella Shmurda’s act reminded us that true friendship is more than just fame and money. The crowd cheered and sang along to every word of the song. It was an emotional moment that demonstrated the influence of Mohbad’s music on people’s lives, and the admiration and affection that Bella Shmurda had for his friend. After the show, Bella Shmurda talked about his friendship with Mohbad, saying, “He was not just a friend to me. He was like a brother, and I miss h...

Police now uses dead fingers to unlock phones

DEAD FINGERS UNLOCK PHONES             In November 2016, hours after a man went on a killing spree and was shot dead by police, authorities pressed the dead man’s finger to his phone, hoping to unlock it and potential leads. Their attempt didn’t work, but according to Forbes, police departments confirm using the fingers of corpses to unlock phones. Investigators working with local and Federal investigations in Ohio and New York, for example, said they had used dead fingers to unlock the phones of overdose victims to try and locate a dealer