WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) issued the following statement regarding the Federal Trade Commission’s reported decision to approve a $5 billion settlement with Facebook for violating a 2011 consent decree requiring the company to enact privacy reforms:  

“Given Facebook’s repeated privacy violations, it is clear that fundamental structural reforms are required. With the FTC either unable or unwilling to put in place reasonable guardrails to ensure that user privacy and data are protected, it’s time for Congress to act.”

Last year, Sen. Warner called on the social media companies to work with Congress and provide feedback on ideas he put forward in a white paper discussing potential policy solutions to challenges surrounding social media, privacy, and data security. He has introduced several bipartisan bills to improve transparency, privacy, and accountability on social media. The Honest Ads Act, introduced with Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), would prevent foreign actors from influencing our elections by ensuring that political ads sold online are covered by the same rules as ads sold on TV, radio, and satellite. The DETOUR Act, introduced in April with Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE), would prohibit large online platforms from using deceptive user interfaces, known as “dark patterns,” to trick consumers into handing over their personal data. The most recent bill, the DASHBOARD Act, was introduced weeks ago with Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), and would require data harvesting companies such as social media platforms to tell consumers and financial regulators exactly what data they are collecting from consumers, and how it is being leveraged by the platform for profit.

Sen. Warner plans to introduce additional legislation in the coming weeks.

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