Editor's note: Backstory is Onmanorama's special year-ender video series. Here, our reporters recall their memorable experiences in 2019. Watch all videos here.
As I was scouring the wires in the last week of July, I came across a big breaking news. It was about US Government Federal Trade Commission slapping $5 trillion fine on Facebook for privacy violation in the infamous Cambridge Analytica case. After publishing the news, I decided to do a story on the privacy concerns of Facebook users in India. I contacted several officials at Facebook's India office. I asked just two questions. What were the steps undertaken by Facebook to allay the privacy violation fears of Indian users and what was the way forward for Facebook in India.
Facebook's head of Asia Pacific in media partner development Ankur Mehra referred me to his colleague Vertika, who handles PR and Communications. I thought I would get a quick reply. But things did not go as I expected. I had to wait for many days as Facebook officials put my query from one official to another.
From Vertika, I was directed to Prateek who works in accounts and later to Roshni who works with Policy Team and Sesha and Oendrilla from some other departments.
During the course of e-mail correspondence, a few officials asked my personal mobile number to discuss the issue. I insisted on having e-mail communication as I wanted to get official reply in writing. But nothing happened after that.
When I realised that I was not going to get a response, I decided to publish my story on August 6 without Facebook's response.
The story still has the editor's note. "Facebook India has not responded to Onmanorama's queries on the steps taken to protect users' privacy. This story will be updated as and when the company responds.” I earnestly hope Facebook will respond to it sometime in the future!
(This story was first published on December 21, 2019.)
