bombuscreative/iStock(NEW YORK) — A new report by British lawmakers accuses Facebook of intentionally violating data privacy and competition laws, and likens the social media giant to “digital gangsters.”
“Companies like Facebook should not be allowed to behave like ‘digital gangsters’ in the online world, considering themselves to be ahead of and beyond the law,” the 108-page report by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee reads.
In its report on disinformation and ‘fake news,’ the committee says Facebook has failed to answer its questions and calls for regulation on social media platforms.
“We need a radical shift in the balance of power between the platforms and the people,” says Damian Collins, the committee’s chairman. “The age of inadequate self regulation must come to an end.”
“The rights of the citizen need to be established in statute, by requiring the tech companies to adhere to a code of conduct written into law by Parliament, and overseen by an independent regulator,” Collins adds.
The chairman says companies like Facebook are “failing in the duty of care they owe to their users to act against harmful content, and to respect their data privacy rights.”
In response to the report, Facebook said it is “open to meaningful regulation,” The Guardian reports.
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