Serjeant-At-Arms Seizes Facebook Data

[upnorth]

Content source

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-46334810

A cache of Facebook documents has been seized by MPs investigating the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. Rarely used parliamentary powers were used to demand that the boss of a US software firm hand over the details. The Observer, which first reported the story, said the documents included data about Facebook's privacy controls. MP Damian Collins later told the BBC that he believed the documents were "highly relevant" to his inquiry. Facebook has demanded their return.

The documents were intercepted when an executive of US tech firm Six4Three was on a trip to London. In a highly unusual move the House of Commons serjeant-at-arms was sent to the businessman's hotel and he was given a final warning and a two-hour deadline to comply with the order. When the executive failed to do so he was escorted to Parliament and warned he risked fines and imprisonment if the documents were not surrendered, the paper said. The firm is involved in court action against Facebook in the US, where the documents were obtained through legal procedures. Damian Collins, chairman of the Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee, said he believes the documents - which include emails - contain information about how Facebook and other parties handle user data. He told the BBC: "We felt this [information] was highly relevant to the inquiry... and therefore we sent an order to Mr [Ted] Kramer through the serjeant-at-arms asking that these documents be supplied to us.

 

[Eddie Morra]

When you have the history that Facebook has, you can never ever be sure of their true intentions or plans, regardless of what they tell you during past hearings (where they do not truly have to tell the truth).

This is good news as far as I am concerned... I consider it as the United Kingdom trying to keep their citizens safe.

Good move!

 

[ForgottenSeer 69673]

Looks good and I heard today that they will be voting later today on weather to impose marshall law for 60 days or not. This after Russia took three of UK's boats and all crew.

 

[upnorth]

Russia took three of UK's boats and all crew.

You do mean Ukrainian boats right?

 

[ForgottenSeer 69673]

You do mean Ukrainian boats right?

Yes, sorry for not spelling it out to the intirity.

 

[upnorth]

When you have the history that Facebook has, you can never ever be sure of their true intentions or plans, regardless of what they tell you during past hearings (where they do not truly have to tell the truth).

This is good news as far as I am concerned... I consider it as the United Kingdom trying to keep their citizens safe.

Good move!

I fully agree and the story continues.

Damian Collins. As chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee, Mr Collins has transformed what started as quite a limited and unfocused fake news inquiry into a forensic investigation of the conduct of Facebook.

In a waspish reply to Facebook's European public policy chief, Richard Allan, Damian Collins pointed out that "as a member of Parliament yourself" he should be familiar with its powers to order the production of documents and publish them with the protection of parliamentary privilege. Mr Allan is actually Lord Allan, a former Liberal Democrat MP given a peerage by Nick Clegg, who in a strange turn of events has now become Facebook's global public-relations and policy chief. The member for Folkestone and Hythe seems confident in his powers and on Monday afternoon DCMS committee members will meet in private to consider publishing the documents. On Tuesday, they hold a public hearing where Lord Allan, of Facebook, will be one of the witnesses and could face cross-examination about information the American legal system says should remain private.

Facebook’s fiercest foe and the bikini files

I'll see if I can share that hearing as soon it's available.

 

[vtqhtr413]

In a letter to British MP Damian Collins, Facebook chief of public policy Richard Allan asked Parliament to put internal documents that were seized by the body last week off limits until a judge addressed the matter, according to a copy of the letter shown to Business Insider. Internal Facebook documents that allegedly include communications from CEO Mark Zuckerberg and evidence that Facebook actively promoted the use of a privacy loophole exploited by Cambridge Analytica were reportedly seized by British Parliament last week, according to a report from The Guardian.

The seizure comes after Zuckerberg repeatedly refused to appear before Parliament to answer questions about the Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal. The documents were reportedly produced by Facebook as part of the legal discovery process in a lawsuit that app maker Six4Three brought against the company. The app maker created Pikinis, which allowed users to find pictures of their Facebook connections in bikinis. The company alleges Facebook destroyed its business when it changed its data use policies in 2015 to restrict third-parties from accessing data of their users' friends.

Six4Three reportedly alleges that the documents seized by Parliament include communications from Zuckerberg, along with evidence that Facebook knowingly created and promoted the privacy loophole that was eventually used by Cambridge Analytica. Through its lawsuit, Six4Three has made numerous other explosive allegations against Facebook, including the claim that Facebook accessed and monitored the microphones of some Android users without their permission; that Facebook monitors the photo albums of iPhone users without explicit permission; and that Facebook remotely turned on users' Bluetooth without their permission to gain access to their location.

Facebook asks Parliament to keep quiet on internal documents seized following cat and mouse game

 

[upnorth]

Parliamentlive.tv

Click the link under " Agenda ".

Enjoy!

 

[upnorth]

British lawmaker Damian Collins said on Tuesday that he plans to publish "within the next week" documents, which could contain potentially explosive revelations about Facebook's approach to privacy.

Potentially explosive secret Facebook documents will be published by a fake news committee 'within the next week'

:emoji_popcorn:

 

[Deleted member 178]

I don't consider my vacations photos to be a a privacy risky behavior. Lol.

 

[vtqhtr413]

Parliamentlive.tv

This seemed pretty much the same as political hearing in the US, a dog and pony show.

 

[upnorth]

Parliamentlive.tv

This seemed pretty much the same as political hearing in the US, a dog and pony show.

I agree but I do wonder what " potentially explosive revelations " Damian Collins will publish next week. Stay tuned.

 

[AtlBo]

I do wonder what " potentially explosive revelations " Damian Collins will publish next week. Stay tuned.

Just happy to see governments beginning to take an active interest in the insecurities in the super-structure of the global data transfer grid.

What I am really holding my breath for is hearings in Washington (maybe small audience no fanfare, etc.-I don't care), held with the goal of establishing in stone at the Congressional level a firm and comprehensive definition and description for the term "ethical programming". Maybe with this type of hearing under its belt, here in the U.S., Congress could develop a simple language for discussing amongst the rank and file and with the people the meat and potatos security challenges associated with the international data grid...in a satisfying way, thankyou