The attorney general for Washington, D.C., filed a lawsuit against Facebook on Wednesday over its handling of the Cambridge Analytica scandal in what is the first government enforcement action the company has faced in the U.S. over its handling of user data in the incident revealed earlier this year.

The lawsuit accuses Facebook of failing to protect user data from mishandling by third parties and alleges that the company's privacy policies violated D.C. consumer protection laws.

“Facebook failed to protect the privacy of its users and deceived them about who had access to their data and how it was used,” Attorney General Karl Racine (D) said in a statement. “Facebook put users at risk of manipulation by allowing companies like Cambridge Analytica and other third-party applications to collect personal data without users’ permission.

"Today’s lawsuit is about making Facebook live up to its promise to protect its users’ privacy,” he added.

The lawsuit, filed in D.C. Superior Court, is seeking civil penalties, restitution for Facebook users in the district and an order for Facebook to change its privacy policies.

“We’re reviewing the complaint and look forward to continuing our discussions with attorneys general in DC and elsewhere,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.