Updated Controversial data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica has been hit with an emergency data seizure order in England following an extraordinary series of events Monday night that revolved around a TV undercover expose.
Following a day in which the company became the focus of attention online, in print, and in the UK Parliament and US Congress for its unethical use of user data, senior executives from the firm were then shown on camera boasting about the use of dark methods, including honey traps, fake news and sub-contracting with ex-spies to entrap individuals.
Following the segment on those secret recordings, UK Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said she would seek a warrant on Tuesday forcing Cambridge Analytica to hand over relevant data, after she said the company had refused to respond sufficiently to earlier requests.
Adding to a sense of drama, as Denham was on television saying she would apply for the warrant, a Channel 4 reporter posted outside the company's headquarters reported that a team from Facebook was inside the building ensuring that their purloined data had been deleted.
Such shadowy tactics were again offered at a subsequent meeting, with Turnbull saying Cambridge Analytica could "Contract under a different name, or as a different entity" so no trace of the company's involvement could be found.
In response to what appeared to be clear evidence that Cambridge Analytica was prepared to carry out dirty tricks campaigns, the company said that its executives made the suggestions as a tactical ploy to see if the potential client was ethical.
The company said in a statement: "We entirely refute any allegation that Cambridge Analytica or any of its affiliates use entrapment, bribes, or so-called 'honey-traps' for any purpose whatsoever," adding that it "Routinely undertakes conversations with prospective clients to try to tease out any unethical or illegal intentions."
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/03/19/boom_cambridge_analytica_explodes_following_extraordinary_tv_expose/
Following a day in which the company became the focus of attention online, in print, and in the UK Parliament and US Congress for its unethical use of user data, senior executives from the firm were then shown on camera boasting about the use of dark methods, including honey traps, fake news and sub-contracting with ex-spies to entrap individuals.
Following the segment on those secret recordings, UK Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham said she would seek a warrant on Tuesday forcing Cambridge Analytica to hand over relevant data, after she said the company had refused to respond sufficiently to earlier requests.
Adding to a sense of drama, as Denham was on television saying she would apply for the warrant, a Channel 4 reporter posted outside the company's headquarters reported that a team from Facebook was inside the building ensuring that their purloined data had been deleted.
Such shadowy tactics were again offered at a subsequent meeting, with Turnbull saying Cambridge Analytica could "Contract under a different name, or as a different entity" so no trace of the company's involvement could be found.
In response to what appeared to be clear evidence that Cambridge Analytica was prepared to carry out dirty tricks campaigns, the company said that its executives made the suggestions as a tactical ploy to see if the potential client was ethical.
The company said in a statement: "We entirely refute any allegation that Cambridge Analytica or any of its affiliates use entrapment, bribes, or so-called 'honey-traps' for any purpose whatsoever," adding that it "Routinely undertakes conversations with prospective clients to try to tease out any unethical or illegal intentions."
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/03/19/boom_cambridge_analytica_explodes_following_extraordinary_tv_expose/
No comments:
Post a Comment