Elizabeth Denham, Britain’s information commissioner, is beginning a wide-ranging probe into Cambridge Analytica which has come under supreme scrutiny for using the data of over 50 million Facebook users to sway elections in the United States and the United Kingdom. The fallout from The Guardian’s expose of one of the masterminds behind Steve Bannon and Robert Mercer’s use of “information warfare” has already lead to a near-five percent drop to Facebook’s stock, and a campaign to #DeleteFacebook has picked up steam overnight.
Now Facebook is trying to gather its own evidence into how this happened amidst multiple scandals that are branching off and coming back to point at serious misconduct and the horrifying influence Cambridge Analytica has over the population. According to various reports, Facebook sent their own investigators to Cambridge Analytica’s offices, only to be blocked off by British authorities before any evidence may have been compromised.
Facebook have confirmed that auditors and legal counsel acting on behalf of the company were in the offices of Cambridge Analytica this evening until they were told to stand down by the Information Commissioner. These investigations need to be undertaken by the proper authorities
— Damian Collins (@DamianCollins) March 19, 2018
To be clear, @facebook was trying to "secure evidence" ahead of the UK authorities. Nice try, @facebook. The UK Information Commissioner's Office cracking whip…British legal investigation MUST take precedence over US multibillion $ company.. https://t.co/CNNXwv1M3R
— Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) March 19, 2018
BREAKING: Facebook WAS inside Cambridge Analytica's office but have now "stood down" following dramatic intervention by UK Information Commissioner's Office..
— Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) March 19, 2018
Denham has made a statement via the Information Commissioner’s Office:
“A full understanding of the facts, data flows and data uses is imperative for my ongoing investigation. This includes any new information, statements or evidence that have come to light in recent days.
Our investigation into the use of personal data for political campaigns, includes the acquisition and use of Facebook data by SCL, Doctor Kogan and Cambridge Analytica.
This is a complex and far reaching investigation for my office and any criminal or civil enforcement actions arising from it will be pursued vigorously.”
In addition to its “information warfare” used on every day people, video shot in secret has shown the Cambridge Analytica CEO boasting of using sex workers to entrap politicians.
(Via Reuters/Business Insider)