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Partly supported

A material part is supported, but the published wording goes beyond the record.

Facebook said on 17 March 2018 that the claim that the Cambridge Analytica matter was a data breach was completely false.

The claim that this is a data breach is completely false.
About
Meta Platforms, Inc.
Claim made by
Meta Platforms, company statement
Published
17 March 2018
Original
Suspending Cambridge Analytica and SCL Group From Facebook
Evidence score
76 How it was scored
Last reviewed
25 October 2026

Why this label

Facebook's account was that data reached Cambridge Analytica through an app about 270,000 people downloaded, not through an intrusion into its systemsS1. No regulator record read here describes a hack. But regulators treated the episode as a failure to protect user data. The FTC said Facebook violated its 2012 order by deceiving users about control of their informationS2. The SEC said Facebook had found actual misuse by a developer in 2015 and still described the risk as hypotheticalS4. The ICO penalty was settled without admissionS5. The narrow technical point stands. The denial understated the misuse that the regulators later described.

Current procedural position

Company statement of 17 March 2018S1. FTC order entered by the court on 23 April 2020S3. SEC settlement announced on 24 July 2019 without admitting or denyingS4.

Record supporting the assessment

Approximately 270,000 people downloaded the app.
S1 Tier B Facebook (Meta Newsroom), Suspending Cambridge Analytica and SCL Group From Facebook, 16 March 2018, updated 17 March 2018

Conflicting or limiting record

violated a 2012 FTC order by deceiving users about their ability to control the privacy of their personal information
S2 Tier A US Federal Trade Commission, FTC Imposes $5 Billion Penalty and Sweeping New Privacy Restrictions on Facebook, 24 July 2019
may be improperly accessed, used or disclosed
S4 Tier A US Securities and Exchange Commission, Facebook to Pay $100 Million for Misleading Investors About the Risks It Faced From Misuse of User Data, 24 July 2019

Evidence score: 76 of 100

The score grades how well the record establishes this assessment. It is not a score of Meta Platforms, Inc.. Score = source authority + directness + corroboration + procedural accuracy + currency + reproducibility.

ComponentPointsMaxReason
Source authorityIs the source competent to establish the proposition?2430FTC and SEC releases are competent, but none rules on the word breach.
DirectnessDoes the source state the proposition or only discuss adjacent facts?1220The records address misuse and disclosure rather than the breach label.
CorroborationDo independent records support the same material point?1215FTC, SEC and ICO records agree that user data was misused.
Procedural accuracyDoes the record settle the procedural state the claim describes?1015The FTC order is court-entered, but the SEC and ICO matters settled without admission.
CurrencyHas the record been checked against later developments?910Checked against the 2026 Delaware approval.
ReproducibilityCan a reader locate the passage and repeat the assessment?910All pages are public.
Total76100

Timeline

  1. Facebook updates its post to deny a data breachS1
  2. FTC and SEC settlements announcedS2S4

Related cases

  • United States v. Facebook, Inc.US District Court for the District of Columbia. Civil. Not published.Stage: Stipulated order entered on 23 April 2020.
    • Judge Timothy J. Kelly enters the orderS3
  • Securities and Exchange Commission v. Facebook, Inc.US Securities and Exchange Commission. Civil. Not published.Stage: Settled without admitting or denying, with consent to the entry of a final judgmentS4.
    • Settlement with US$100 million penalty and injunction announcedS4
  • Information Commissioner v. Facebook Inc. and Facebook Ireland LimitedUK Information Commissioner's Office and First-tier Tribunal. Regulatory. Not published.Stage: Appeals withdrawn by both sides under an agreement of 30 October 2019.
    • Facebook agrees to pay the £500,000 penalty with no admission of liability, and both sides withdraw their appealsS5S9

Revision history

  • Assessment first published with label Partly supported.

Have a record that changes this assessment? See corrections and responses.

Sources

  1. S1Tier B Suspending Cambridge Analytica and SCL Group From FacebookFacebook (Meta Newsroom). Company statement. 16 March 2018, updated 17 March 2018.Facebook's account and its breach denial. It is the company's position, not a finding.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
  2. S2Tier A FTC Imposes $5 Billion Penalty and Sweeping New Privacy Restrictions on FacebookUS Federal Trade Commission. Regulator press release. 24 July 2019.Supports the penalty and the alleged order violation. It contains no admission.
  3. S4Tier A Facebook to Pay $100 Million for Misleading Investors About the Risks It Faced From Misuse of User DataUS Securities and Exchange Commission. Regulator press release. 24 July 2019.Supports the SEC charges and settlement. Facebook did not admit or deny.
  4. S3Tier A FTC Gives Final Approval to Modify FTC's 2012 Privacy Order with Facebook with Provisions from 2019 SettlementUS Federal Trade Commission. Regulator press release. 28 April 2020.Supports the court entry date. It does not state a case number.
  5. S5Tier D ICO and Facebook reach agreement regarding misuse of data in political campaignsSociety for Computers and Law. Press report. 30 October 2019.Professional body report quoting the ICO statement on the agreement. The ICO page itself was not read.
  6. S9Tier C Facebook agrees to pay UK data watchdog’s Cambridge Analytica fine but settles without admitting liabilityTechCrunch. Press report. 30 October 2019.Report by Natasha Lomas confirming the 30 October 2019 agreement, the full payment, the absence of an admission and the dropped appeals. The ICO page itself was not read.Link working, checked 25 October 2026

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