Facebook data breach investigation scope to be broadened by FBI, SEC and DoJ

The federal investigation into Facebook’s sharing of data with the data mining firm Cambridge Analytica has gotten further, with a focus on the examination of the social media giant itself. Leading the investigation is the Department of Justice (DoJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) , and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

According to a report  in The Washington Post, investigators want to know if Facebook lied to lawmakers, the public, and the investors about the data breach scandal from March this year, when there was improper use of data of  87 million Facebook users  by Cambridge Analytica, which was incidentally hired by president Donald Trump’s 2016 US election campaign.

When Facebook had found out in 2015 that Cambridge Analytica had obtained Facebook data to create voter profiles, it didn’t disclose that information to the public.

The investigators are now keen on understanding why this information wasn’t revealed at that time to the users or stakeholders.

The Capitol Hill testimony of Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg is also is being scrutinised as investigators are looking into whether the answers and comments provided by him were enough. They also want to know if the company disclosed the information about the scandal on a timely basis.

Further details about the investigation, like whether the investigating agencies are planning any sort of criminal charges or penalties against Facebook, are unknown.