Tech giant Meta is doing everything in its power to try and bring the FTC to a halt and ensure it no longer adds further restrictions against the company’s ad targeting practices.
For those who might not be aware, the FTC is working at a fast pace to try and impose new regulations that prevent the tech giant from targeting young users, especially teens, from receiving targeted ads.
For this, they’re filing legal action as they feel it’s unlawful, and how the firm has the right to collect data so it can roll out ads to targeted audience members.
The lawsuit dates back to the year 2019 when Facebook’s parent firm reached an agreement with the FTC where the latter fined the social media app for going against privacy rules in regards to the bombshell Cambridge Analytica case that shook the world. At that time, the settlement reached $50 million as Meta was accused of rolling out ads that influenced voters’ decisions.
.@Meta presses for order that would effectively stay @FTC admin hearing that could result in order prohibiting Meta from monetizing teens' data.
— Wendy Davis (@wendyndavis) January 8, 2024
Judge denied Meta's earlier request to enjoin FTC from proceeding; company is now seeking injunction pending appeal to DC Circ. pic.twitter.com/OQYJEJfTqY
While such a case did come to a conclusion, so many experts criticized the lack of new regulations in place and any restrictions that would have prevented such matters from taking place in the first instance. Therefore, Meta was allowed to carry on with the same or similar behavior without any form of regulatory body overlooking its ordeals.
Seeing all of this come to light, the FTC added how it was now filing new motions to correct this act and ensure Meta stays within defined limits by extending the actual settlement from 2019 so that the tech giant can stop garnering profits from data belonging to underage users.
Such new amendments could give rise to new changes and regulations including those related to the tech giant making use of facial technology for the sake of recognition. There seems to be a goal of the FTC related to hindering Meta’s VR push for the highly anticipated metaverse.
We saw the tech giant counter the push of the FTC from last year, adding how its actions were not violating the American Constitution. Then we saw in November last year how a federal judge made rulings of how the FTC might move forward with this very same proposal.
During that time, Facebook’s parent firm mentioned how it was all set to make an appeal, and seeing it done now means saying hello to new filings related to injunctions that may be lagging the next phase.
You can see how such legal action could have serious impacts on the firm, especially considering how it is on the rise to design new systems aligning VR usage with customization related to user experience across the latest apps. However, some critics do argue about how the FTC is correct in its own context. Remember, as Meta gears up for its Metaverse push, the matter must be addressed and regulations to hinder the company’s ad targeting strategies should be checked.
Meta has already been called out in the past for favoring growth against privacy, and even if that comes at the expense of young and vulnerable victims including teens, then it clearly does not mind.
Other than the latest restrictions linked to the use of data belonging to teenagers, the FTC also appears to be rolling out new laws that would hinder Meta from launching new goods until they were scrutinized for privacy and strong third-party monitoring of such information.
Clearly, we don’t see why the FTC should back down from taking proactive action regarding this behavior of Meta but the latter is firm on its stance to fight back. Therefore, the legal battle might take place for a while before we can finally attain a conclusion.
Similar to the world of AI, regulation and proper control of some kind is necessary. After all, the FTC must emphasize those areas that it feels need a little push and could serve as a source of harm in the future, especially regarding new forms of technology popping up as we speak.
Photo: Digital Information World - AIgen
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