Washington: US regulators convened to discuss imposing a massive fine against Facebook for failing to protect user data, media reported on Friday.

Regulators are contemplating the record-setting penalty because they allege the social media giant violated an agreement with the government to protect the privacy of its users’ personal information, the Washington Post reported citing three people familiar with the situation.

The fine would mark the first major punishment against Facebook since it was revealed last March that Cambridge Analytica had gathered personal data from 87 million users without their permission. The FTC probe of Cambridge Analytica and the total fine amount have yet to be finalized and it is unclear if Facebook will agree to a settlement, according to the report.

Google set the current record in 2012 after agreeing to pay $22.5 million for violating a privacy protection agreement, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The regulator charged Google with allowing advertisers to implant cookies despite telling Safari browser users they were automatically opted out of such tracking. ((Sputnik))