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Facebook faces US $15 billion lawsuit

Published time: May 19, 2012 02:52
Edited time: May 19, 2012 06:52
Facebook faces US $15 billion lawsuit (Reuters/Shannon Stapleton)

Tracking users after they log out and violating US wiretapping laws – these are the allegations behind a 15-billion-dollar nationwide class-action lawsuit filed against Facebook in California.

­The suit, combining 21 cases of alleged privacy violations by the social networking giant, was filed on Friday in the Federal Court in San Jose, Emil Protalinski writes on ZDNet.com. In their consolidated complaint, the plaintiffs claim that Facebook used cookies to track them across the Internet.

And yet, where does the staggering sum of the lawsuit come from? Violation of the Federal Wiretap Act provides suggests compensation of US $100 per day per user for every case of violation, up to a maximum of US $10,000 per user. The accusations also fall under the Computer Fraud and Abuse act, the Stored Communications Act, as well as various California Statutes and California common law.

“This is not just a damages action, but a groundbreaking digital-privacy rights case that could have wide and significant legal and business implications,” said David Straite, a partner at Stewarts Law. The firm is one of the plaintiffs leading the claim.

Accusations that Facebook used cookies to track its users even after they log out are countless. However, all such claims have been turned down so far on the grounds that cookies are simply not legally considered to be wiretaps. Proving damage is also a challenge here.

In September, the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) in Ireland, where Facebook has its international headquarters, agreed to conduct a privacy audit of the network’s activities. Interestingly enough, and thankfully for Facebook, the three-month audit concluded that the company makes “innovative use of cookies to identify unusual or suspicious activity” on an account.

As for now, Facebook insists "this complaint is without merit" and prepares to "fight it vigorously" – PCWorld quotes Andrew Noyes, the network's manager of public policy communications.

Comments (23)

Gregory Henderson (unregistered) 22.05.2012 13:51

It's about time, legal action was taken! I have been arguing for sometime that FB, and the Personal Data Mining they are responsible for, is a direct violation of our 4th Amendment Rights! 
And when the state of California wins this case I will spearhead the movement in Colorado, it's about time damn it-thank God, I am not the only legal mind in this country, who has seen this and demanded action for the direct violation FB has been a part of.

+14

Undo

robert heartland (unregistered) 22.05.2012 00:48

Good for these people!  I hope they sue the daylights out of this ongoing criminal enterprise known as facebook and also show up how it has merged with the government agencies which use it as well. Remember congressman Wiener did nothing wrong and yet he was set up and knocked down by facebook!  They can destroy a popular congressman and make the rest of the congress cower in fear.  This is what facebook is this is what they do.  They are retro, they get people in touch with all the losers of our past.  When we leave high school we should leave our past and become mature adults in the real world and learn and grow. Each new station in life can be a new opportunity to change and grow and try a new persona.  This is one way we grow.  All the world's a stage and each actor plays many parts said Shakespeare.  We try on a new part one day and find delight in a new power over our life.  This is much harder to do amongst our family and friends who tend to hold us in place.  Identity can be wonderful but it is also limiting.  Sometimes we need to allow ourselves to fall into the abyss of life to grow.  I joined the Navy. Each new duty station became a chance to grow be take on a new persona.  I left the Navy and went to Denver to go to DADC tech school.  I went back and forth to Denver and each time new friends and experiences.  Don't be afraid to grow.  And don't bother with stupid retro operations like facebook.  Now they've got timeline!  Anybody who wants to know anything about you can look you up on this stupid website and think they will have a handle on you and push your buttons!  Good luck with that!  If I ever find out facebook has done something about me without my permission I will join up in this lawsuit.

+19

Undo

john (unregistered) 21.05.2012 17:54

I hope the entire company goes out of business. Nothing productive is created from Facebook.

+30

Undo

View all comments (23)
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