In 2011, Facebook entered into a consent decree with the FTC over its privacy practices. | Getty Images FTC confirms investigation of Facebook

The Federal Trade Commission Monday confirmed it's investigating Facebook in the wake of revelations that the company allowed the Trump-linked firm Cambridge Analytica to improperly obtain data on 50 million Facebook users.

"Companies who have settled previous FTC actions must also comply with FTC order provisions imposing privacy and data security requirements," Tom Pahl, acting director of the FTC's consumer protection bureau, said in a statement. "Accordingly, the FTC takes very seriously recent press reports raising substantial concerns about the privacy practices of Facebook. Today, the FTC is confirming that it has an open non-public investigation into these practices.”


In 2011, Facebook entered into a consent decree with the FTC over its privacy practices.

A source familiar with the matter told POLITICO last week that the FTC had launched an inquiry into Facebook.

