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Comment by Mahn | Hacker News Reader

I think this sets an awful precedent and it's astonishing that an action like this would be applauded. But you do you.

And what precedent is that? The idea that companies aren't above the law? That's a precedent I wish was more enforced.

I'm proud of my parliament today (and it's not often I can say that), even if in other parts they're tearing themselves apart.

What laws did Facebook break that warranted seizing and publishing internal documents?

> What laws did Facebook break that warranted seizing and publishing internal documents?

Parliament is sovereign. Facebook ignored Parliament. That is tantamount to blowing off an American court order.

More pointedly, Facebook has broken their agreements on keeping WhatsApp and Facebook data separate. These e-mails further show Onavo and Facebook conspiring to hide their intent around data collection users, which likely breaks British privacy and honest trade law.

Parliament is not into enforcing laws - it writes them. Parliamentary sovereignty means it can publish internal documents[1] if they decide it's in the public interest, if not, the MP will be appropriately censured by their peers.

1. In the US, the president (executive) can declassify any classified information, the DOJ or judiciary may publicize (discovered) internal documents for trials/indictments before guilt is established (note: IANAL). In the UK, Parliament is supreme to the executive and judiciary.

In the US, Congress enjoys the Speech and Debate privilege, meaning pretty much the same. It's even in our (written, unlike the UK) Constitution.

It didn't break a law, but it also didn't comply with our sovereign parliament's right to investigate matters of interest to its members. In a manner of speaking in this sense, they are the law.

The law against not screwing your users and not being anti-competitive. The latter is actual law, the former is the kind of thing that leads to street justice.

I'm glad to have the documents, but I have to admit its really sketchy for a government to step in and do that. People are saying 'the sovereign body wanted it', but that's a worrying way to run things.

It set a pretty awful precedent when Facebook spread misinformation so effectively that my country voted to cripple itself. We are going to have justice: no foreign intervention or dark money will stop us. I rarely feel pride like I did today, because for all their faults it is clear to me that the current crop of Parliamentarians will hunt down those responsible for weaponising disinformation in our politics.

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