Meta CEO Zuckerberg faces $8 billion privacy lawsuit over Cambridge Analytica scandal
A Delaware court has opened proceedings in a major $8 billion class-action lawsuit targeting Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other company executives over alleged violations of Facebook users’ privacy linked to the notorious Cambridge Analytica scandal, according to U.S. media reports.
The lawsuit, filed by Meta shareholders, claims the company failed to disclose critical risks of user data misuse by Cambridge Analytica, the political consulting firm that worked on Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Shareholders allege that Facebook (now Meta) violated a 2012 consent decree with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) by continuing to collect and share personal data without user consent. According to the complaint Facebook sold user data to commercial partners and the platform removed key privacy disclosures required under the FTC agreement.
This alleged misconduct resulted in a $5.1 billion FTC penalty, a $725 million settlement with users, and multiple European privacy fines.
The plaintiffs argue that Zuckerberg and other Meta leaders should reimburse the company for billions in legal costs linked to these violations.
On Monday, privacy expert Neil Richards testified that Facebook’s privacy disclosures were “misleading.” Meanwhile, former Meta board member Jeffrey Zients admitted he supported the FTC settlement “to move forward,” despite its financial burden, adding that Zuckerberg was “essential” to the company and showed “no indication” of wrongdoing.
Testimony from Mark Zuckerberg and former COO Sheryl Sandberg is expected next week. A ruling by the Delaware Chancery Court is not anticipated for several months.
The case remains in the spotlight after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to dismiss the lawsuit, allowing it to proceed.
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