Facebook’s Cyber-Security Dilemma
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| Credit Mashable.com |
Technology has advanced at a blindingly fast rate in this millennium. With it comes a more convenient, globalised and interconnected world. However, the faster technology evolves, so too does the threats that come along with it. Online security has become an issue as of late especially with the prevalence of social media and online platforms. Despite the risk to personal data and information that comes with utilising these online platforms, these same platforms have become such an integral part of human society that by completely ignoring the use of social media could possibly be a detriment to one’s person or business.
Online and social media today have become an inseparable part of marketing, and networking. The internet has allowed businesses to communicate faster, connect with more people and communicate with potential customers in a far more efficient manner than ever before. However, there are always risks and the internet being a host to many. Online security risks have evolved just as fast as the internet and as such, security measures need to be put in place just as fast. Without said security, people with malicious intent now have a far more efficient way of causing harm to people and businesses.
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| Credit Indianexpress.com |
This questioning of online security is now the reason why Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of the online social media platform ‘Facebook’, is finding himself in hot water with the United States Congress. It all began with the recent proliferation of ‘fake news’ and political accusations that led to the Cambridge Analytica controversy. Said controversy revealed massive breaches in Facebook’s online security system which has left millions of people’s private information vulnerable. Facebook’s inability to properly govern its own security has caught the ire of the U.S. Congress which has led to Mr. Zuckerberg’s current predicament.
According to the New York Times, Mr. Zuckerberg and his team have gone through extensive questioning by lawmakers over two days of Congressional hearings earlier this week. Mr. Zuckerberg’s reply to most of the issues raised was the phrase: “My team will get back to you,” which goes without saying, is not a very reassuring statement. Check out the full New York Times analysis and commentary below - we thought it made a great read.
Mark Zuckerberg Has a Lot of Homework to Do
In two days on Capitol Hill, the Facebook chief promised numerous lawmakers that he would get back to them with answers to their questions. We counted up that workload.
Facebook’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg — or perhaps more accurately, members of his staff — are going to be very busy getting through a stack of homework.
Over two days of congressional hearings this week in which Mr. Zuckerberg was barraged with questions by lawmakers over data privacy, election interference and more, the 33-year-old billionaire was often not able to provide an immediate answer. His standard response in those situations, a variation of “my team will get back to you,” was repeated so often it became an internet meme.
Here are all the things that Mr. Zuckerberg has committed to getting back to Congress on. Yes, it’s a long list.
To Senator Chuck Grassley, Republican of Iowa ...
Improper Transfer of Data to Third Parties
Mr. Zuckerberg said he would get back to Mr. Grassley on whether his team finds any new examples in which user data was improperly transferred to a third party in breach of Facebook’s terms of service. He also said he would get back to Mr. Grassley on how many outside developers his team has audited to make sure they are following Facebook’s rules.
To Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California ...
Number of Fake Accounts
Mr. Zuckerberg said he would follow up with Ms. Feinstein on the exact number of fake accounts Facebook has removed from the social network.
To Senator Maria Cantwell, Democrat of Washington ...
Role with Cambridge Analytica and Donald J. Trump’s Campaign
Mr. Zuckerberg said he would get back to Ms. Cantwell on whether Facebook employees ever worked with Cambridge Analytica to help the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential election.
Data on Minors and Tracking of Browsing Activity
Mr. Zuckerberg said he would circle back to Mr. Wicker on whether Facebook collects call and text history on minors, and whether or not Facebook tracks a user’s internet browsing activity even when they have logged off Facebook.
Russian Misinformation Operations
Mr. Zuckerberg said he would tell Mr. Leahy whether a number of specific pages were part of Russian misinformation operations during the 2016 elections.
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Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, right, with Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, questioned Mr. Zuckerberg.
Credit Michael Reynolds/EPA, via Shutterstock
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To Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina ...
Tech Regulation
Mr. Zuckerberg’s to-do item was answering how to have a broad discussion on where the tech industry should be regulated.
To Senator Roy Blunt, Republican of Missouri ...
Data Collection from Logged-off Devices
The Facebook chief said he would get back to Mr. Blunt on whether the company collects data from devices that are not currently logged in to the social network.
Support for Legislation
Mr. Zuckerberg said he would follow up with Mr. Blumenthal on whether Facebook would support a number of pieces of legislation. (It was unclear which legislation.)
Privacy Bill of Rights for Minors
Mr. Zuckerberg said he would get his team to “flesh out the details” with Mr. Markey on a potential privacy bill of rights for minors on the internet.
Support for the Honest Ads Act
Mr. Zuckerberg said he would get back to Mr. Udall on whether he, personally, would return to Congress to support the Honest Ads Act. (Mr. Zuckerberg added that he didn’t visit Washington often and that he would likely direct his team to focus on support of the act.)
Investigating Unauthorized Data Access
The Facebook chief said he would circle back on whether Facebook’s new bounty program on data sharing will also investigate unauthorized access to data.
Nevadans Whose Data was Harvested; Keeping of User Data
Mr. Zuckerberg had two to-do items with Mr. Heller, including answering how many people in the state of Nevada were part of the 87 million people who may have had their data harvested by the political research firm Cambridge Analytica and how long Facebook keeps a user’s data after they have deleted their accounts.
Changing Default Settings
Mr. Zuckerberg said he would return with answers for Mr. Pallone on whether Facebook would change its default settings to minimize collection and use of user data.
Political Ad Rejection
The Facebook chief said he would follow up on the circumstances behind the company’s rejection of a political ad from a candidate for Michigan state senate.
Artificial Intelligence Tools
Mr. Zuckerberg said he would get back to Mr. Engel on artificial intelligence tools and other procedures being deployed to identify fake accounts that spread misinformation.
Application of European Data Protection Rules
Mr. Zuckerberg’s homework for Mr. Green was answering how Facebook would apply the European Union’s coming General Data Protection Regulation privacy rules to users in the United States.
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Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana.
Credit Lawrence Jackson for The New York Times
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Data for Security; Facebook Censorship
Mr. Zuckerberg told Mr. Scalise he would come back with details about data that is mined for security purposes and whether it is sold, as well as whether Facebook employees responsible for the perceived censorship of the pro-Trump video personalities Diamond and Silk faced repercussions.
Content Reviewers’ Treatment of Users
The Facebook chief said he would offer Ms. Rodgers more detail on how Facebook is ensuring fair treatment of users by content reviewers.
Racial Diversity in Technology
Mr. Zuckerberg said he would circle back on an idea to convene a meeting of chief executives of technology firms to boost racial diversity in the industry. He added that he would get back to Mr. Butterfield with data on employee retention broken out by race.
To Representative Morgan Griffith, Republican of Virginia ...
More Rural Broadband
Mr. Zuckerberg promised to look into the progress on extending broadband into rural areas.
Numbers of Facebook Buttons; Response to Regulators
Facebook’s chief said he would follow up with the number of Facebook “like” buttons and “share buttons” on non-Facebook pages. He also said he would get back to the Congresswoman on the time frame within which Facebook would respond to regulators’ requests for transparency.
Data Points on Non-Facebook Users
Mr. Zuckerberg said he planned to circle back on the average number of data points that Facebook keeps on non-Facebook users. Mr. Zuckerberg also said he did not know that number for Facebook users.
Supporting Online Privacy Legislation
Mr. Lance, who is co-sponsoring a online privacy bill with Representative Marsha Blackburn, Republican of Tennessee, asked Mr. Zuckerberg whether Facebook will support the legislation after reviewing it. Mr. Zuckerberg said he would get back to him.
Law Enforcement Requests
And finally, Mr. Zuckerberg said he could get back to Mr. Kinzinger about how Facebook handles requests made by law enforcement in foreign countries, particularly Russia.
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