Legal

Facebook must face privacy suit over Cambridge Analytica

Judge concludes Facebook board cannot be trusted to investigate the scandal

Shareholders allege that Facebook may have paid as much as $2 billion extra to protect Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s founder.

A judge ruled Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and former directors of the social-media company must face claims they turned a blind eye to rampant privacy violations, including allowing a firm hired by Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign to collect data on millions of users.

Delaware Chancery Court Judge Travis Laster concluded Wednesday that alleged conflicts-of-interest meant Facebook’s board couldn’t be trusted to properly investigate claims the company repeatedly violated promises to protect users’ personal information.