According to The Wall Street Journal, “a Massachusetts judge has ordered Facebook to turn over data about thousands of apps that may have mishandled its users’ personal information.”
In the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook has faced ongoing scrutiny and lawsuits related to how it handles user data. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission fined the social media giant $5 billion for its role in Cambridge Analytica. More recently, Brazil levied a $1.6 million fine on the company for the same thing.
The most recent decision stems from Facebook’s own “admission last year that it had suspended ‘tens of thousands of apps for possible privacy violations.” Unfortunately, that was all Facebook was willing to admit to, providing neither the specific apps that were suspended, nor the alleged violations they were guilty of. As a company that has long since lost the trust of many customers and lawmakers, Facebook’s protestations that it shouldn’t be forced to turn over the data fell on deaf ears. Now the Suffolk Superior Court judge has given the company 90 days to turn over the data.
“We are pleased that the Court ordered Facebook to tell our office which other app developers may have engaged in conduct like Cambridge Analytica,” Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey said in a statement.
Facebook says it is reviewing its options and may appeal the ruling.