Cybersecurity

What Facebook’s Data Scandal Really Means for Regulators

China is racing against the U.S. to dominate the development of Artificial Intelligence.
Facebook data illustration with China flag. Photographers: Daniel Acker/Andrew Harrer/Tomohiro Ohsumi/BloombergPhotographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg

The scandal over the alleged abuse of Facebook Inc.’s user data is unfolding a long way from China, and yet privacy regulators in Beijing have been watching intently.

Their interest shows how all three big players in the technology world -- the Americans, Chinese and Europeans -- are feeling their way to balance the demands of consumers for privacy and of governments for security.