After Cambridge Analytica was found to misuse the data of as many as 50 million Facebook users, the social media website has come under enormous scrutiny. In response, many have joined the #DeleteFacebook movement, including the co-founder of popular messaging platform WhatsApp.
Back in 2014, Facebook acquired WhatsApp for a hefty price of $16 billion, bringing co-founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton on board. Koum still leads WhatsApp but Acton quit last year to start his own nonprofit foundation. However, despite his $16 billion connection with Facebook he still had some strong words to say about the recent privacy revelations.
In a post shared on Twitter last night, Acton wrote “It is time” including the #DeleteFacebook hashtag in his tweet.
It is time. #deletefacebook
— Brian Acton (@brianacton) March 20, 2018
There have been questions into Acton’s relationship with Facebook since his departure from WhatsApp last year, particularly after he invested $50 million into Signal – a competitor to WhatsApp that’s focused on user privacy and encryption.
A quick search of the #DeleteFacebook hashtag demonstrates that Acton isn’t the only one that’s fed up of the social network and this isn’t the first time that users have prompted a #Delete movement on Twitter. For instance, take a look at Uber’s string of controversies last year.
It has been reported that Facebook will be probed by the Federal Trade Commission over its use of personal data. The FTC is said to be investigating the company’s relationship with Cambridge Analytica and allegations that user data has been used in a “grossly unethical” manner.
If you’re looking into joining the #DeleteFacebook movement you can find out how to delete your account by following this step by step guide. However, please be aware that disabling your account does not necessarily mean that all of your data will be removed.
Let us know what you think of this latest controversy, and whether or not you’re on board with ditching your Facebook.
