Missouri’s attorney general is demanding information from Facebook over its handling of data collected from consumers following revelations a data firm linked to the Trump campaign improperly gathered and used data from 50 million Facebook profiles.
Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley said Monday he issued an investigative subpoena to Facebook as part of an investigation into its business practices on its collection and sharing of user data.
“There is no excuse for this irresponsible handling of user data,” Hawley said in a statement. “Missourians need to know that they can trust the companies and platforms that have access to as much user information as Facebook does.”
Hawley said the attorney general’s office sent Facebook a list of 60 questions related to its handling of consumer information, including what it shares with political groups. His office wants Facebook to disclose how much political campaigns paid the social media company for user data and whether users were told their data was being shared with campaigns.
Thirty-seven attorneys general, including Missouri’s, sent Facebook a letter last week asking the company about reports Cambridge Analytica, a data firm that worked with the Trump campaign, improperly harvested and misused personal data from 50 million Facebook profiles.
Hawley’s investigative subpoena stems from those revelations, which have prompted additional scrutiny into Facebook from Congress and the Federal Trade Commission.
“As technology develops at a rapid pace, Silicon Valley needs to ensure that the proper protections are in place to guard consumer privacy,” Hawley said. “If they do not do this, my office will pursue those responsible.”
In addition to its investigation into Facebook’s data practices, Hawley’s office is investigating Google’s business practices and Equifax and Uber’s data breaches.
Hawley plans to examine through his investigation whether the Facebook app, when on Android phones, gathered personal information about cell phone usage.
