March 19, 2018 / 2:29 AM / Updated an hour ago

Facebook reviewing whether misused data still in hands of political consultant

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Facebook said on Sunday it was conducting a “comprehensive internal and external review” to determine if the personal data of 50 million users that was reported to be misused by a political consultant still existed.

A 3D-printed Facebook logo is displayed in front of binary digits in this illustration taken, March 18, 2018. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

The company said in a statement that it was trying to determine the accuracy of allegations that a researcher gave the firm Cambridge Analytica inappropriately obtained Facebook user data starting in 2014.

In the statement from Paul Grewal, a Facebook vice president and deputy general counsel, the company said it was committed to “vigorously enforcing our policies to protect people’s information.”

Reporting by Pete Schroeder; Editing by Peter Cooney