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Facebook spooked after MPs seize documents for privacy breach probe

theregister.co.uk

31–40 of 97 posts

Re: Facebook spooked after MPs seize documents for privacy breach probe

#32

Facebook played fast and loose with privacy for over a decade. This might have worked in the US where corporate abuse and greed reigns supreme, but not so much in Europe. And Facebook elected to move its corporate nexus to Europe to tax dodge. Were they so deluded to think Europe actually caring about privacy wouldn't one day come back to bite them?

Europe is just as prone to corporate abuse and greed. See the new Copyright Directive pushed at the behest of European publishers.

Re: Facebook spooked after MPs seize documents for privacy breach probe

#35

Facebook played fast and loose with privacy for over a decade. This might have worked in the US where corporate abuse and greed reigns supreme, but not so much in Europe. And Facebook elected to move its corporate nexus to Europe to tax dodge. Were they so deluded to think Europe actually caring about privacy wouldn't one day come back to bite them?

> Facebook played fast and loose with privacy for over a decade.

It is their only business model, what else they can do?

Re: Facebook spooked after MPs seize documents for privacy breach probe

#37

No government should have to resort to 'sneaky' measures like this. If you have a suspicion that a company is breaking the law, you ask a judge for permission to inspect them. If permission is granted, you show up at the main office and do your investigation. If a judge won't grant you permission do do that inspection, you drop the case entirely. None of this 'we used sneaky laws from centuries ago to take documents…

> If you have a suspicion that a company is breaking the law, you ask a judge for permission to inspect them.

Uh, no. The only person the UK Parliament asks for permission for anything is the monarch, and that's almost entirely a formality.

And, absent a US-style Constitution, what is there to ask a court about? Whether the action sought by Parliament comports with the law, which is the expressed will of Parliament?

Re: Facebook spooked after MPs seize documents for privacy breach probe

#38
post #17
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They don't have to ask a judge, they're not private citizens, they're the legislature. They are the government, and they have the right to documents and information. What criteria, exactly, are you using to distinguish between "laws" and "sneaky laws"?

It was parliament (or at least a parliamentary committee), not the government, that did this though wasn't it?

You are making a distinction that doesn't really exist in the UK. Parliament is the legislative body. The executive are members of Parliament. Until fairly recently, one of the houses of parliament was the highest court in the UK too. In systems with Parliamentary Sovereignty, Parliament is the highest body in the nation: it "outranks" the executive and the judiciary, at least in theory. The UK now has a Supreme Court, but it's much less powerful than the US version.

Re: Facebook spooked after MPs seize documents for privacy breach probe

#39
post #3

> ... process during its court case against the Zuckerborg , in which it is alleging Facebook defrauded ... Seriously? What happened to journalism?

> Zuckerborg It's the new M$ / Micro$oft. Childish and appealing to a small minority.

Just about every millennial chuckles at "Zuck is robot," whereas "M$" was always only ever a Slashdot-ism.

Re: Facebook spooked after MPs seize documents for privacy breach probe

#40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't all the information held within the US, therefore, a UK judge wouldn't be able to grant access? Also, one minute you're talking about the law and order approach then you're complaining that they used the law as it exists. The lesson of the day, don't go playing funny buggers with governments.

The UK can still compel them, by compelling Facebook's relevant country director. The method used here (physically detaining a non Facebook actor who is not a UK citizen who had access to the docs under a protective order and threatening them until they caved) is so far beyond unacceptable it's hard to fathom. As I said in the other thread, the only reason this could ever be acceptable of because of hate of Facebook,…

> the only reason this could ever be acceptable of because of hate of Facebook

It's acceptable because it's perfectly legal in the UK. The world is not America. Other countries have different laws and systems of government.

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