What The Facebook Data Scandal Means For Your Finances

Not too stressed about the Cambridge Analytica scandal? Perhaps you should be.

Facebook is so embarrassed by the Cambridge Analytica data scandal that it took out expensive adverts in UK and US media last week to apologise to its users. But if you were appalled by the way in which personal data on Facebook appears to have been manipulated for political ends, have you thought about how this data could also be used to target your finances? Data security experts warn that too few people understand how their data can make them vulnerable to financial crime.

Facebook shares fell 5% Tuesday on reports that CEO Mark Zuckerberg agreed to testify in front of Congress about the company’s data scandal.

The crisis began on March 16 after Facebook (FB) said it was suspending data analysis company Cambridge Analytica for allegedly harvesting data from more than 50 million Facebook users. Cambridge Analytica worked on Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

Since then, Facebook’s stock has plunged 18%, wiping out nearly $80 billion from the social networking giant’s market value in the process. Zuckerberg’s net worth has fallen by about $14 billion. (He is still worth $61 billion, though).

Tech stocks in general have taken a hit since the Facebook allegations first came to light. The Nasdaq is down 6%…Independent