Facebook is a ‘surveillance company’ rebranded as 'social media'

Facebook rebranding as 'social media' is the most successful deception, says Edward Snowden

Edward Snowden, former National Security Agency contractor, slammed Facebook in a tweet after the social media giant suspended Cambridge Analytica, a data analytics firm that worked for US President Donald Trump’s campaign.

Businesses that make money by collecting and selling detailed records of private lives were once plainly described as "surveillance companies." Their rebranding as "social media" is the most successful deception since the Department of War became the Department of Defense.

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) March 17, 2018

Facebook accused Cambridge Analytica for not removing data which they collected from tens of million Facebook users, but the former contractor blamed Facebook and other social media firms for being irresponsible, Washington Examiner reported.

"Businesses that make money by collecting and selling detailed records of private lives were once plainly described as 'surveillance companies,'" Snowden said, adding, "Their rebranding as 'social media' is the most successful deception since the Department of War became the Department of Defense."



"Facebook makes their money by exploiting and selling intimate details about the private lives of millions, far beyond the scant details you voluntarily post," Snowden said earlier in the day. "They are not victims. They are accomplices."

Cambridge Analytica refused to do any wrongdoing on Saturday, stating that they “fully complies” with Facebook’s terms and conditions.

The succeeding pressure resulted lawmaker, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, to call out Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Special councel Robert Meuller has been investigation about the connection between the Trump campaign with Russia, reportedly asked Cambridge Analytica to hand over emails from any of its employees who worked for the Trump campaign, to which the firm fulfilled the request



Facebook has promised to bring changes after taking the heat for spreading ‘fake news'.

After leaking a confidential information from the National Security Agency’s surveillance programs, Snowden has since been granted asylum in Russia back in 2013.

This article originally appeared on Washington Examiner.