Facebook to notify users whose data was shared with Cambridge Analytica

Facebook plans to notify the estimated 87 million of its users whose data may have been acquired by Cambridge Analytica, The Associated Press reported Monday.

The social media company will send messages to the potentially affected users beginning Monday, while every Facebook user will get a “Protecting Your Information” notification.

{mosads}The move comes as Facebook continues damage control amid fallout from revelations that the British data firm Cambridge Analytica, which worked on President Trump’s 2016 campaign, acquired the Facebook data of more than 87 million users without their consent.  

The New York Times reported last month that the firm obtained the data of 50 million users, but Facebook later estimated the number to be at 87 million. A whistleblower said over the weekend that the number of affected users could be even higher.

Lawmakers who have been critical of the data breach are vowing to question Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and get to the bottom of the controversy.

Zuckerberg is slated for back-to-back appearances on Capitol Hill this week, first in a joint hearing before the Senate Judiciary and Commerce committees on Tuesday, followed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday.