Ever since former Cambridge Analytica employee Christopher Wylie revealed how the tech firm exploited Facebook to harvest data and “target the inner demons” of 50 million users, all tech hell has broken loose. Mark Zuckerberg has somehow said nothing while Facebook stock plummeted, Parliament summoned him for re-upped testimony over data breaches, and an aggressive #DeleteFacebook campaign has been gaining momentum. Now, a real gut punch to The Zuck has arrived from messaging platform Whatsapp co-founder Brian Acton, who has now urged his Twitter followers to join the movement.
It is time. #deletefacebook
— Brian Acton (@brianacton) March 20, 2018
“It is time,” Acton ominously tweeted. And this declaration arrives somewhat as a surprise, for Facebook purchased Whatsapp in 2014 for a whopping $19 billion. This sale, in turn, netted Acton approximately $3 billion (according to Forbes), so he’d certainly have a vested interest (at least for appearance’s sake) in staying out of this scandal, but Acton isn’t playing that game.
It must be noted that Acton didn’t elaborate upon his reasons of joining the bandwagon, but Business Insider reports that his Facebook account appears to have been deactivated (for whatever reason), and folks are also pointing toward an old 2009 tweet from Acton, who related how he was rejected by Facebook while applying for a job. A belated bone to pick, perhaps?
Facebook turned me down. It was a great opportunity to connect with some fantastic people. Looking forward to life's next adventure.
— Brian Acton (@brianacton) August 3, 2009
Tech drama may not be the most riveting drama, but it sure does entertain, and the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica fallout isn’t even close to finished.
(Via Brian Acton on Twitter, CNBC, Business Insider & Forbes)