FTC Approves Settlement Related to Cambridge Analytica -- Update

By Allison Prang 

The Federal Trade Commission said it unanimously approved a settlement with an app developer and Cambridge Analytica's former chief executive officer, who the regulator alleged were deceptive in gathering Facebook users' personal data.

The settlement prohibits the two -- developer Aleksandr Kogan and former Cambridge Analytica CEO Alexander Nix -- "from making false or deceptive statements" about their collection, use, sale or sharing of personal information and their reasons for doing it. Messrs. Kogan and Nix must destroy or delete information they collected through "the GSRApp and any related work product that originated from the data," the FTC said.

The regulator had alleged that both men enabled the GSRApp to acquire Facebook data from people who used the app and those people's friends on the social media platform, when the app users were informed that their personal data wouldn't be collected by the app, the FTC said. The regulator alleged that the GSRApp acquired Facebook User IDs.

Kory Langhofer, managing partner for Statecraft PLLC who is representing Mr. Nix, said the FTC's order is being imposed because Mr. Nix was at Cambridge when it is believed the company did something wrong, not because of wrongdoing by Mr. Nix.

A representative for Mr. Kogan couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Write to Allison Prang at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 18, 2019 13:16 ET (18:16 GMT)

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