Britain’s Information Officer Told Facebook To ‘Stand Down’ From Taking Evidence From The Cambridge Analytica Offices

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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.

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)

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