FTC scrutinising Facebook over its internal research documents

Lawmakers want agency to determine if the company engaged in deceptive conduct

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has started looking into disclosures that Facebook Inc's internal company research had identified ill effects from its products, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. 
 

Officials are looking into whether Facebook research documents indicate that it might have violated a 2019 settlement with the agency over privacy concerns, according to the report.
 

Facebook and the FTC did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. In a statement, Facebook said that it is “always ready to answer regulators’ questions and will continue to cooperate with government inquiries.”
 

The FTC has been in touch with Haugen's team, the Journal reported, citing a source. The company has come under fire after Frances Haugen, who worked as a product manager on the civic misinformation team at Facebook, revealed that she was the whistleblower who provided documents underpinning a recent WSJ investigation. 
 

In September, the Journal published a report that focused on data suggesting that Instagram had a harmful effect on teenagers, particularly teen girls, and that Facebook had made minimal efforts to address the issue.

America ‘on fire’: Facebook watched as Trump ignited hate

Leaked Facebook documents provide a first-hand look at how Trump's social media posts ignited more anger in an already deeply divided country that was eventually lit “on fire” with reports of hate speech and violence across the platform. 
 

Facebook's own internal, automated controls, meant to catch posts that violate rules, predicted with almost 90 per cent certainty that Trump's message broke the tech company's rules against inciting violence. (AP)

Russia opens case against Apple in App Store payment dispute

Russia has opened an antitrust case against Apple for failing to allow app developers to tell customers about alternative payment options when using its App Store platform, Russia's anti-monopoly regulator said on Wednesday. The US tech giant could face a fine based on its revenue in Russia if found guilty of a breach, the regulator said. It did not indicate the size of any potential fine. Apple did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. (Reuters)