Breaking: Facebook Hit By A $15 Billion Class-Action Lawsuit
Facebook finally celebrates their much-awaited Initial Public Offering (IPO) today. Of course, it is news and also a very big deal, especially for the Facebook management, their stockholders, down to the smallest employee of the company. But their celebration may be short-lived because there's another big breaking news that's also happening right now.
According to a report, Facebook has been hit with a $15 billion class-action lawsuit today for their "alleged" violation of users privacy in regards to tracking of their internet usage on the Facebook site.
The lawsuit which just got filed just a little bit ago today in San Jose, California Federal Court, combines for more than 20 similar cases filed all over the United States, according to the plaintiff's lawyers handling the case.
The suit organizers accuses Facebook of an "alleged" invasion of privacy because according to them, Facebook still tracks their users movements online even after they logged out of their Facebook account sessions.
In an e-mailed statement by David Straite, a partner of Stewarts Law US LLP who are handling this case, he says:
"This is not just a damages action, but a groundbreaking digital-privacy rights case that could have wide and significant legal and business implications." He also said his firm is "evaluating the way in which non-US residents" can be added to the group of plaintiffs.
Meanwhile, USA Today's Byron Acohido "painted" a very interesting compiled picture of how Facebook keeps tabs on its 800 million users and here's what he had learned according to a report:
"If you're logged into a Facebook account, your name, email address, friends and all of the other data in your Facebook profile is also recorded.
Facebook keeps logs that record your past 90 days of activity. It deletes entries older than 90 days.
These cookies record every time you visit another website that uses a Facebook Like button or other Facebook plugin - which work together with the cookies to note the time, date and website being visited. Unique characteristics that identify your computer are also recorded.
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