> In a letter to the heads of the IRS, the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission and the IRS watchdog, seven lawmakers say their findings “reveal a shocking breach of taxpayer privacy by tax prep companies and by Big Tech firms.”
> Their report said highly personal and financial information about sources of taxpayers’ income, tax deductions and exemptions was made accessible to Meta as taxpayers used the tax software to prepare their taxes.
> That data came to Meta through its Pixel code, which the tax firms installed on their websites to gather information on how to improve their own marketing campaigns. In exchange, Meta was able to access the data to write targeted algorithms for its own users.
> In exchange, Meta was able to access the data to write targeted algorithms for its own users.
Here, I saw it, and it wasn't hard. I didn't give Meta - the company I have no relationship with - to use my private data, entrusted to completely different company, to enhance their business. It's like you'd hire a cleaning company, and the cleaners would ruffle through your private papers while inside your home, get some confidential financial info, and use it for personal profit. I'd say this is something that one may classify as "wrong".
> Their report said highly personal and financial information about sources of taxpayers’ income, tax deductions and exemptions was made accessible to Meta as taxpayers used the tax software to prepare their taxes.
> That data came to Meta through its Pixel code, which the tax firms installed on their websites to gather information on how to improve their own marketing campaigns. In exchange, Meta was able to access the data to write targeted algorithms for its own users.
It is hard to see what Meta has done wrong here.