Meta Trial on Privacy Scandal Features Tech, Politics A-List

Behind-the-scenes details of an agreement between Facebook and US privacy regulators in 2019 emerged in a Delaware court Wednesday, during a trial on investor claims the settlement cost them at least $7 billion.

A company director at the time, Jeffrey Zients, who was later former President Joe Biden’s chief of staff, said the board asked its lawyers to approach the Federal Trade Commission with a proposal. The company, now known as Meta Platforms Inc., was willing to pay billions of dollars to settle allegations related to a privacy scandal but would not accept any settlement that held founder Mark Zuckerberg personally responsible.