Facebook supports US' new Cispa cyber security bill

Washington, Apr 17 (ANI): Social networking giant Facebook has said it will support a new cyber security bill, Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (Cispa), which is currently under consideration by the United States Congress.

The bill, if it comes into force, would enable the government to access web users' private data on suspicion of a cyber threat.

The HR 3523 Act would also allow easier information sharing between security agencies and private web firms.

Facebook, AT and T, Intel, Verizon, and Microsoft are among some 800 firms that have reacted positively to the bill, which been criticised by advocates of Internet privacy and neutrality, The BBC reports.

Facebook's vice-president of US public policy, Joel Kaplan, said in a blog post that the social network would continue to safeguard personal information of its 845 million-plus users.

" Cispa would make it easier for Facebook and other companies to receive critical-threat data from the US government", Kaplan said.

"Importantly, HR 3523 would impose no new obligations on us to share data with anyone - and ensures that if we do share data about specific cyber threats, we are able to continue to safeguard our users' private information, just as we do today," Kaplan added. (ANI)