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Amid growing public upheaval over the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton took to Twitter  to urge his followers to delete Facebook.

Flashback: Facebook acquired the messaging app in 2014 for $19 billion. Acton had remained with the social media giant to start, but quit last September to start a new foundation. 

WhatsApp co-founder tells followers to delete Facebook

Facebook acquired his company for $19 billion in 2014.

Photo: Jaap Arriens / NurPhoto via Getty Images

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<p>Amid <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="growing public upheaval" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/facebook-to-brief-congress-as-data-scandal-rages-50ea1db8-8fd5-4a91-920a-16f1342d647e.html" data-vars-content-id="7a752b30-677b-4447-be7c-8f8a5d6dd421" data-vars-headline="WhatsApp co-founder tells followers to delete Facebook" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/facebook-to-brief-congress-as-data-scandal-rages-50ea1db8-8fd5-4a91-920a-16f1342d647e.html" target="_self">growing public upheaval</a> over the Cambridge Analytica data scandal, WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton took to Twitter  to urge his followers to delete Facebook.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-vars-category="rich" data-vars-sub-category="undefined-embed" data-vars-content-id="7a752b30-677b-4447-be7c-8f8a5d6dd421"><a href="https://twitter.com/brianacton/status/976231995846963201"></a></blockquote><div style="display:none"></div></div><p><strong>Flashback:</strong> Facebook <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="acquired" data-vars-click-url="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-whatsapp-facebook/facebook-to-buy-whatsapp-for-19-billion-idUSBREA1I26B20140219" data-vars-content-id="7a752b30-677b-4447-be7c-8f8a5d6dd421" data-vars-headline="WhatsApp co-founder tells followers to delete Facebook" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-whatsapp-facebook/facebook-to-buy-whatsapp-for-19-billion-idUSBREA1I26B20140219" target="_blank">acquired</a> the messaging app in 2014 for $19 billion. Acton had remained with the social media giant to start, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="but quit last September" data-vars-click-url="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-cambridge-analytica-breaking/breakingviews-facebook-gives-members-one-more-reason-to-leave-idUSKBN1GW05H" data-vars-content-id="7a752b30-677b-4447-be7c-8f8a5d6dd421" data-vars-headline="WhatsApp co-founder tells followers to delete Facebook" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-facebook-cambridge-analytica-breaking/breakingviews-facebook-gives-members-one-more-reason-to-leave-idUSKBN1GW05H" target="_blank">but quit last September</a> to start a new foundation. </p><span data-ad-status="NO_AD_LENGTH" data-ad-type="midStoryAd"></span>

From the Valley to D.C., Big Tech players like Facebook, Google and Amazon are under more scrutiny than ever as new technology develops and privacy and antitrust concerns grow in lockstep with companies’ ambitions.

WhatsApp co-founder tells followers to delete Facebook

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