The announcement that Cambridge Analytica had unlawfully gathered the data of Facebook users who had utilized the company’s third-party application caused a significant controversy not just in the United States but also in other countries across the globe. Legal actions have been taken against the corporation by a number of nations, including India, Canada, and the European Union, and these nations want to strengthen legislation in order to safeguard their people. The situation may serve as a typical case study for other businesses, providing them with several opportunities to learn about the importance of data protection, information exchange, and cyber security. 1. Avoid delaying the acknowledgment of inappropriate behavior When it comes to the security of user data, it is necessary for businesses to take prompt and effective action in the event that they make errors in order to regain the trust of the general public. As the saying goes, “the truth will always come out,” and in this day and age of digital technology, this adage is very accurate. Even though Facebook had been aware of the issue for close to two years, the company did not have any procedures in place to safeguard its own users. It wasn’t until they were confronted with allegations that the company admitted to having committed misconduct. On the other hand, it is too late since the data and sensitive information of millions of people have been unlawfully obtained for the wrong reasons. 2. The confidentiality of the user is the primary concern from the outset Ideally, every business should always make protecting the privacy of its customers a top priority, and they should demonstrate this with their actions and words right from the start. This indicates that you should first establish baseline privacy settings that are both accessible and thorough, and then progressively adjust them in order to remedy any potential problems. With regard to Facebook, the company has just revised its privacy policy, which comes at a time when a great number of individuals have lost their faith in the company as a result of controversies. The lesson that reactive tactics are not desirable should be learned by other businesses, and it is essential that they look at this example. In the event that their wrongdoings had not been brought to light, would the most prominent social media site provide an update on data protection? Not likely at all. 3. The involvement of third-party tracking is very important Cambridge Analytica gathered information from Facebook users by means of an engaging quiz application. The problem was that even those who did not use the app directly had their data collected. This data was collected from them. This demonstrates that Facebook does not have a data protection policy that is comprehensive enough to prohibit other organizations from engaging in activities that are comparable to those in question. Third-party tracking is needed for other businesses to guarantee that the data of their customers will not be used elsewhere for inappropriate reasons. This is necessary in order to earn the trust of the general public. The acquisition of data from those who are not users would be exceedingly risky. Even after you have deleted your Facebook accounts and ceased using this platform, the firm is still able to gather the information you have provided. On the other hand, it is the responsibility of every service provider to divulge information on the methods they employ to gather data from those who are not users. Otherwise, it would be detrimental to the firm since it would put it at danger of being sued by those individuals or companies. This would be more detrimental than being beneficial. 5. Obtaining evidence is very significant A number of years ago, Facebook was aware of the infringement that Cambridge Analytica had committed, and it requested that the business remove the data that it had gathered. In spite of this, they did not possess sufficient evidence to demonstrate that what Cambridge did was unethical. Therefore, companies who are experiencing data protection difficulties that are related with third-party applications should take measures to prevent these issues by requiring verifiable documentation that proves the necessary activities have been taken.