Schakowsky Statement on FTC Fine of Facebook

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, a Senior Chief Deputy Whip and Chairwoman of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, released the following statement upon reports of the Federal Trade Commission fining Facebook:

“If today's reports of a record-breaking $5 billion fine for Facebook are true, the sad reality is that this does not go nearly far enough. For a company that last year alone generated revenue nearly 11 times greater than the reported fine, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should send a clear signal to Facebook and so many other tech companies that privacy is their ultimate responsibility. If these reports are true, then they failed.

“Even more concerning are reports that the Commission approved this on a party-line vote. If so, it’s clear Chairman Simons’ vision for the future of the FTC and its consumer protection mission diverges greatly from mine. It would leave consumers out in the cold with a bad taste in their mouth.

“Coupled with the United States Trade Representative’s announced Section 301 investigation of France’s recently-passed tech accountability measures, this was a banner week for big tech in the Trump Administration.

“I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle a to craft legislation that protects Americans’ privacy and holds companies accountable for violating consumers’ trust.”