FTC reportedly discussing record fine for Facebook

he Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is reportedly considering levying a major fine against Facebook for violating a settlement with the agency over its handling of user privacy.

The Washington Post reported Friday that the five FTC commissioners have met in recent weeks to discuss the potentially record-setting fine and its findings on whether Facebook violated a 2011 consent agreement requiring it to be transparent about its handling of user data.

The largest fine the agency has ever issued was $22.5 million against Google for violating a similar agreement. The Post reported that the fine under consideration for Facebook is expected to be “much larger.”

The FTC launched its investigation into Facebook after news broke of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which the right-wing consulting firm obtained data on millions of users without their permission.