More than a year after the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Facebook is now the target of a survey launched by several US states that aims to clarify its role in the management of social network user data.

A coalition of US states, including New York, is launching an antitrust investigation against Facebook to determine if the social network "has stifled competition and puts its users at risk," state attorney general of state from New York.

"This survey focuses on the dominance of Facebook in the industry (social networks) and the potentially anti-competitive behavior that results," says Letitia James in a statement, adding that the investigation will focus on data management network users and the rise in advertising prices.

BREAKING: I'm launching an investigation into Facebook to determine their actions endangered consumer data, reduced the quality of consumers' choices, or increased the price of advertising.

The largest social media platform in the world must follow the law.

- NY AG James (@NewYorkStateAG) September 6, 2019

Besides New York, Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee are the other states involved plus the federal capital Washington. Texas State Attorney Ken Paxton is expected to announce an anti-trust investigation against Google, according to the Wall Street Journal .

"Even the largest social networking platform in the world must respect the law and consumers," says Letitia James. "We will use any tool at our disposal to determine whether Facebook's actions may have endangered the personal data of consumers, reduced the quality of the choices offered to them or increased the price of advertising," she adds. .

A tech giant under surveillance

In addition to these state-led investigations, Facebook and Google are also in the sights of federal authorities, including the Department of Justice and FTC, the US regulatory authority for communications. It is currently difficult to know if these investigations will be coordinated.

US authorities are worried about the dominant role of a handful of tech giants on communications and commerce. Since the outbreak of the Cambridge Analytica scandal in March 2018, Google and Facebook have received particular attention, particularly from governments, both in the United States and Europe, regarding the use of personal data. particularly.

Facebook was sentenced in late July to a record fine of $ 5 billion by the FTC for failing to protect the personal data of its users.