CBI will probe data mining by Analytica

NEW DELHI: Union information technology (IT) minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Thursday said the government had asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe if data analytics firm Cambridge Analytica illegally obtained and misused data of Indian voters.

“The government has entrusted this issue to be investigated by CBI for possible violation of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and IPC (Indian Penal Code). It is suspected that Cambridge Analytica may have been involved in illegally obtaining data of Indians which could be misused,” Prasad said, replying in Rajya Sabha to a motion on misuse of social media platforms for spreading rumours and fake news.

The IT minister added that Cambridge Analytica’s initial response was that data of Indians had not been breached, and that this isn’t in conformity with what has been reported by Facebook. “Cambridge Analytica also did not respond to a subsequent notice,” Prasad said.

In March, a whistle-blower claimed Cambridge Analytica misused a partnership with Facebook to access data of millions of Facebook users. The analytics company allegedly used the data to possibly influence voters in the Brexit vote and the US presidential election in 2016. Around 87 million users were affected; of which 562,000 were in India, according to Facebook.

Participating in the discussion, leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed serious concern over incidents relating to abuse of social media that lead to mob lynchings.