Connecticut Attorney General William Tong led a coalition of 14 attorneys general in demanding that Facebook disclose whether members of the 'Disinformation Dozen' were granted XCheck protections, which allow users to bypass enforcement rules. The coalition seeks information on the extent of anti-vaccine content from whitelisted users and complaint outcomes.
Facebook is required to provide detailed information about its XCheck program, including whether specific individuals received whitelist protections, the amount of anti-vaccine content from such accounts, and user complaint resolutions.
In-house legal teams should review vendor and customer agreements with Facebook (Meta), particularly those involving content moderation, advertising, or platform access. Focus on clauses related to enforcement consistency, user exemptions, rule application transparency, and complaint resolution processes. Specific clauses to examine include those governing content takedown procedures, account suspension/restoration, special access programs (like whitelisting), and representations about equal enforcement. Changes may be needed to require disclosure of any whitelisted accounts or preferential treatment, ensure enforcement rules apply uniformly, and add audit rights to monitor compliance with stated moderation policies.
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Also known as: Meta
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Social MediaOfficial Press Release
https://portal.ct.gov/ag/press-releases/2021-press-releases/attorney-general-tong-seeks-answers-on-facebook-xcheck-protections-for-disinformation-dozen
facebook xcheck letter final signed oct 13 2021.pdf?rev=734c
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/ag/press_releases/2021/facebook-xcheck-letter-final-signed-oct-13-2021.pdf?rev=734c990652e64966a7d5adab5dfe3c2b&hash=F3B353EF77DC44755AA8960B78339B66
Connecticut Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://portal.ct.gov/AG/Privacy/Privacy-Resources
The New Jersey Attorney General announced an investigation into how the personal information of millions of Facebook users was harvested and obtained by Cambridge Analytica, a UK-based data analytics company. The AG expressed concern that Facebook may have allowed the harvesting and monetization of user data despite promises to keep it secure.
$2.0M
Attorney General Tong and a coalition of four other states and the FTC sued Zillow and Redfin after Zillow paid Redfin $100 million to shut down its multifamily rental advertising business and transfer clients to Zillow. The settlement requires the companies to restore competition, with Redfin rebuilding its apartment advertising business, and pay $2 million to the coalition.
Attorney General William Tong sent a letter to the Connecticut Insurance Department urging rejection of double-digit rate increases sought by Anthem, ConnectiCare, and UnitedHealthcare for individual and small group health insurance plans covering about 220,000 people. The letter argues the rates exceed inflationary measures and criticizes the carriers for failing to control costs and for poor claims system management, particularly ConnectiCare's transition to Molina Healthcare.
$275K
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced a $275,000 settlement with TaxAct, an online tax preparation company, over allegations that between January 2018 and December 2022, TaxAct improperly disclosed detailed customer financial information to Meta and Google through third-party tracking technologies without notifying taxpayers. The settlement requires TaxAct to pay $275,000 and implement new third-party tracking compliance measures, including a review committee, written policies, a tag monitoring system, and two independent third-party audits.
$4.0M
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong and the Federal Trade Commission announced a $4 million settlement with Manchester City Nissan (Chase Nissan LLC) resolving allegations that the dealership double-charged for 'certified pre-owned' vehicles and collected unauthorized junk fees. The settlement requires payment for consumer redress, prohibits misrepresentations, mandates clear disclosure of the maximum total price, and requires express informed consent for all charges.
Attorney General Tong and a coalition of 21 attorneys general and Pennsylvania filed lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Transportation, FMCSA, and DHS to block demands for the personal information of 17 million CDL drivers. The lawsuits allege violations of federal privacy laws and the Administrative Procedure Act, and seek an emergency order to prevent the data transfer.