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.
$29.6M
Attorney General Jennifer Davenport joined a coalition of 48 states and territories in a $29.6 million settlement with Glenmark, a generic drug manufacturer, for allegedly conspiring to artificially inflate and manipulate prices, reduce competition, and restrain trade for numerous generic prescription drugs. The settlement includes cooperation in ongoing litigations and internal reforms to ensure fair competition.
$29.6M
Attorney General William Tong led a coalition of 48 states and territories in a $29.6 million settlement with Glenmark, a generic drug manufacturer, to resolve allegations of a widespread conspiracy to artificially inflate prices, reduce competition, and unreasonably restrain trade for numerous generic prescription drugs. The settlement includes cooperation from Glenmark in ongoing multistate litigations and internal reforms to ensure fair competition and compliance with antitrust laws.
$18.0M
Attorney General William Tong led a coalition of 42 attorneys general in a settlement with the bankruptcy trustee for 23andMe, resolving allegations from a 2023 data breach that compromised the genetic data of 6.9 million customers. The settlement includes $150 million in allowed claims, with $18 million paid from bankruptcy funds, and requires enhanced data security measures for the new entity holding the data.
Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 12 attorneys general in suing to block the $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. by Paramount Skydance Corporation. The lawsuit alleges the merger violates Section 7 of the Clayton Act by substantially lessening competition in theatrical film distribution and basic cable television licensing, which would harm consumers through higher prices and reduced quality.
Attorney General William Tong and 48 other attorneys general submitted comments to the FCC urging stronger rules to prevent scammers from accessing legitimate telephone numbers for illegal robocalls. The coalition is responding to the FCC's proposed rules and asks for measures such as stronger certification, reporting, and prohibitions on number cycling.