the washington, dc, attorney general is suing which company for alleged privacy violations?

Full Answer

Why is the Attorney General suing Amazon?

Washington, D.C., Attorney General Karl Racine announced Tuesday he’s suing Amazon on antitrust grounds, alleging the company’s practices have unfairly raised prices for consumers and suppressed innovation.

Why is Washington DC suing Amazon?

Washington DC Attorney General Karl Racine said Tuesday that his office is suing Amazon, accusing the tech giant of abusing its monopoly power to control prices of goods online.

Which states have filed lawsuits against Google?

The attorneys general of Indiana, Texas, and Washington are also filing lawsuits against Google in their own state courts. “Google falsely led consumers to believe that changing their account and device settings would allow customers to protect their privacy and control what personal data the company could access,” said AG Racine.

Why did Attorney General Racine sue Google?

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Attorney General Karl A. Racine today sued Google, LLC for deceiving and manipulating consumers to gain access to their location data, including making it nearly impossible for users to stop their location from being tracked.

What is the Amazon lawsuit?

The lawsuit, filed in D.C. Superior Court on Tuesday, alleges violations of the city's Antitrust Act. In a call with reporters, Racine said Amazon has been "illegally abusing and maintaining its monopoly power by controlling prices across the online retail market" for years.

How much of the online retail market does Amazon have?

As a result, Racine says, Amazon has an ever-increasing stronghold on the online retail market. "Amazon is estimated to have between 50 to 70% of the market share of the online retail sales market. By contrast, the next two largest retail platforms, Walmart.com and eBay, have only around 5% of the market each," the attorney general said.

How much does Amazon charge for third party sellers?

Amazon's fees paid by third-party sellers can amount to as much as 40% of a product's price, according to court filings, which then results in higher prices across the entire retail sales market because sellers have to agree they won't offer lower prices anywhere else.

What relief does Amazon seek in the lawsuit?

Amazon says the relief sought in the lawsuit — relief that includes structural changes and a corporate monitor as well as penalties and damages — "would force Amazon to feature higher prices to customers."

What is an OAG complaint?

In the complaint, OAG is asking the court to enter an abatement order at the start of the process to get relief for tenants as quickly as possible. OAG is also seeking relief for harmed residents including refunding rent that tenants paid while housing conditions violated District law, an injunction to stop the illegal behavior, penalties, and court costs. The complaint is not a finding or ruling that the defendant has actually violated the law.

What was the complaint against Stephenson?

According to OAG’s complaint, Stephenson collected rent but failed to maintain the apartment buildings or make necessary repairs, as required by District law. Instead, tenants were subjected to mouse, rat, roach, and bedbug infestations, inconsistent heat and hot water, unidentified leaks, mold, and fire code violations. OAG’s complaint alleges that these practices violated the District’s Tenant Receivership Act and Consumer Protection Procedures Act. Specifically, Stephenson’s alleged violations include:

What did Stephenson do when he offered apartments for rent?

Deceiving tenants about rental accommodations: When Stephenson offered apartments for rent, he represented that he would maintain the property according to District law. Tenants agreed to pay rent in exchange for what they believed would be safe, habitable apartments—but Stephenson failed to uphold his end of the bargain.

Why was Stephenson cited?

Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs frequently cited Stephenson for failure to correct housing and fire code violations that threatened the health and safety of tenants. The defendant did not maintain smoke detectors and fire extinguishing equipment, used extension cords as permanent wiring, and did not provide tenants with consistent hot water and heat.

What happened to Facebook after a whistleblower?

Nine months after a whistleblower revealed Facebook had allowed outsiders to improperly access personal information about millions of its users, the social media giant faced its first major rebuke from regulators in the United States -- a lawsuit filed by the attorney general of the District of Columbia.#N#Support our journalism. Subscribe today.#N#arrow-right#N#The lawsuit from Karl Racine on Wednesday targeted Facebook mainly for its entanglement with Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy that harvested names, “likes” and other data from the social site without users’ permission. The incident, which affected more than 87 million users beginning in 2014, came to light this March, sparking investigations around the world.

How long does it take for the FTC to investigate a violation?

Veterans of the FTC -- which tends to operate in secrecy -- acknowledged the agency can take upwards of a year to probe a violation fully, and that the scope of investigations can expand as new information emerges. But analysts said the commission faces a major, time-sensitive test with Facebook: Should the FTC fail to act swiftly against the social-media giant, at a moment when its privacy mishaps are piling up, the agency could find itself weakened in its ability to hold the rest of Silicon Valley accountable.

Why did Karl Racine sue Facebook?

The lawsuit from Karl Racine on Wednesday targeted Facebook mainly for its entanglement with Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy that harvested names, “likes” and other data from the social site without users’ permission.

What agency is responsible for Cambridge Analytica?

The Cambridge Analytica controversy initially drew the attention of multiple agencies-- the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department.

Who sued Facebook for allowing Cambridge Analytica access to my data?

The attorney general for the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against Facebook for allowing Cambridge Analytica, a political consultancy, to gain access to the names, "likes" and other personal data about tens of millions of the social site's users without their permission. Skip to main content.

Is Facebook reviewing the lawsuit?

Asked about the lawsuit, Facebook said in a statement Wednesday it is "reviewing the complaint and [looks] forward to continuing our discussions with attorneys general in D.C. and elsewhere.” Facebook’s stock price closed down more than 7 percent Wednesday.

Is Facebook facing inquiries?

Facebook's actions and public statements are facing inquiries from several federal agencies regarding the mishandling of millions of users' personal data. (Elyse Samuels, Patrick Martin/The Washington Post) The D.C. case threatens to develop into an even worse headache for Facebook.