California Attorney General Xavier Becerra is asking a court to force Facebook to comply with the state Department of Justice investigation into privacy concerns. The lawsuit announced Wednesday also shows that the DOJ has been investigating the Facebook over privacy concerns for the last 18-months.
"The California Department of Justice, pursuant to its statutory authority, issued investigative subpoenas against Facebook starting back in June 2018 to examine the company’s actions and business practices and any violations of user privacy. The responses we have received to date are patently inadequate," said Becerra. "Our work must move forward. We are left with little choice but to seek a court order compelling Facebook to faithfully comply with our duly authorized subpoenas."
Becerra claims Facebook has failed to comply with subpoenas for information and related documents. However, this is the first time he has acknowledged an investigation into Facebook is underway.
The lawsuit asks the San Francisco County Superior Court to require Facebook to cooperate with investigators looking into how user information is handled and whether tech company is in compliance with California privacy laws.