Users urged to #DeleteFacebook as fallout from Cambridge Analytica data harvesting affair grows

Facebook users appear to be leaving the social media site in droves after reports of Cambridge Analytica’s data grab.

Facebook users appear to be leaving the social media site in droves, after revelations their data was harvested by Donald Trump’s 2016 US presidential campaign.

The #DeleteFacebook hashtag is trending worldwide on Twitter, with users outraged at claims the California tech giant failed to stop improper access and handling of user data.

News broke over the weekend that Cambridge Analytica, which helped the Trump campaign in 2016, allegedly collected and used the information of millions of users without their permission. Facebook’s share price — and CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s fortune — have taken a hit, with Facebook’s stock down 6.8 per cent to $US172.56 overnight, wiping out about $US36 billion ($46.7bn) in market value.

“The firm harvested private information from the Facebook profiles of more than 50 million users without their permission.”

Facebook knew about it in 2015. Didn’t do anything until now due to public pressure.

You can and arguably should #DeleteFacebook

https://t.co/hS7VQx6dqa

— David Chartier 🥃 (@chartier) March 17, 2018

Finally deleted my @facebook account. If you're angry about what facebook has done with our data then just #deletefacebook We all moved on from MySpace we can move on from facebook too. Remember we aren't the customers we are the product #CambridgeAnalytica

— Eric (@ecarpen) March 17, 2018

Meanwhile Facebook could face fines if Australians’ personal information was given to controversial researchers Cambridge Analytica, the privacy watchdog says.

Australian Information and Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim said he was aware of reports users’ profile information had been taken and used without authorisation.

“My office is making inquiries with Facebook to ascertain whether any personal information of Australians was involved,” Mr Pilgrim said on Tuesday.

“I will consider Facebook’s response and whether any further regulatory action is required.”’

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield told parliament on Monday he would seek advice on laws preventing companies illegally accessing Australians’ private information.

Shadow minister for the digital economy Ed Husic told Sky News today Facebook should explain itself to the federal parliament.

“The issue is 50 million user accounts were accessed and it’s not that from what I’m led to believe the data was stolen, but that the approval process the gates were so wide open it was easy to get that data. And so Facebook can’t gravitate above public opinion and think just because it has a platform that’s popular that it doesn’t have to answer [questions],” he said

“Facebook has taken its time to respond to public opinion...it’s not good enough, they have got to move quicker, they’ve got to be a lot more transparent and they have to recognise they have an obligation like most other companies to account for the things they do.”

If you want to delete your Facebook account, follow these five steps.

1. Log in to Facebook.

2. Go to your settings.

3. Click “Edit” next to “Manage account.”

4. Click “Request account deletion.”

5. Follow the instructions.

You have up to 90 days before your information is permanently removed from Facebook’s servers.

With AAP, The Wall Street Journal