Advertisement

News

Zuckerberg knew about Facebook’s privacy issues and did nothing to stop them

Zuckerberg knew about Facebook’s privacy issues and did nothing to stop them
Jacob Yothment

Jacob Yothment

  • Updated:

Emails show that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg had prior knowledge of Facebook’s privacy issues, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

Mark Zuck

One of the emails from April 2012 is deeply concerning. It shows Zuckerberg and Facebook insiders learning about a third-party app that took data from tens of millions of Facebook users while ignoring Facebook privacy policies.

The app was eventually suspended, but sources told the WSJ that this did not cause Facebook to look into their privacy issues.

Keep in mind that this was six years before millions of users had their data compromised in the Cambridge Analytica Scandal. It was also long before we knew about other apps that were stealing our data without our knowledge. 

To clarify, none of the emails appear to show Zuckerberg deliberately disobeying Facebook policy. However, they do show a huge lack of responsibility and respect for Facebook users. 

The emails were discovered by a probe from the Federal Trade Commission and were later reported by the WSJ.

Our take

Recently, Zuckerberg has been pushing privacy for Facebook. He wants to add more tools so users can be protected on Facebook, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram.

Although some were inclined to believe him, this news suggests that Zuckerberg is only doing so because Facebook was caught with its pants down.

Your privacy and personal data should be your top concern when you’re on social media, and Facebook’s users deserve to be on a platform where the company has the same concern.

Jacob Yothment

Jacob Yothment

Jacob Yothment is the assistant content editor for Softonic. He's worked in journalism since high school, and has been a fan of all things technology and video games his entire life. He is a 2016 graduate of Purdue University Northwest.

Latest from Jacob Yothment

Editorial Guidelines