Ask HN: Did Facebook/CA receive outsized response in comparison to Experian

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16670371

by mankash666 • 8 years ago

6 4 8 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

mankash666• 8 years ago

I feel like the Facebook/CA affair has had more attention from the media than the Experian beach. Additionally, I don't believe Experian received as many legal and Congressional probes as Facebook is receiving. Why is this? Is Experian great at lobbying Congress?

Finnucane• 8 years ago

Yes, they are. Like most firms in the financial industry, they've developed deeply entrenched lobbying connections, as well as being generous with campaign donations. For instance, Mick Mulvaney, now head of the CFPB and the guy who gets to decide if there's going to be an investigation, has been the recipient of their generosity.

Whereas the Facebook story has been driven in part by the fact that Cambridge Analytica is using the data for the purpose of manipulating political campaigns (possibly illegally for US politicians, since they're a foreign interest).

Also, note that for all the noise, Facebook has yet to suffer any significant legislative consequence.

ams6110• 8 years ago

Do you mean Equifax?

For me the difference is that I feel like Equifax was just negligent carelessness, while the Facebook situation was more intentional on their part.

cimmanom• 8 years ago

The story for Equifax was the personal data breach, which has implications for individuals' financial outlook.

The story for Facebook is the interference with elections and the political process, which has implications for everything from taxing sodas to the potential for nuclear war.

The reactions are different because the events are not really directly comparable.

Ask HN: Did Facebook/CA receive outsized response in comparison to Experian

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