EC to discuss Cambridge Analytica storm

The election commission will hold a meeting on Tuesday to discuss measures that should be in place to ensure electoral processes are insulated from any adverse impact in the wake of allegations of data harvesting by social media giant facebook and elections consultancy Cambridge Analytica.

A senior official aware of the developments said the poll panel— mandated to conduct elections for the Lok Sabha and State assemblies—will discuss the steps required to ensure that “forces that subvert the electoral process are neutralised”.

“We have to ensure that polling is not adversely affected by exerting undue influence on the electorate by manipulating social media,” the official, requesting anonymity said.

The commission, including the chief election commissioner, the two election commissioners and a host of senior officials meet every week on Tuesday to take up poll related issues.

“Anything which affects elections is on the commission’s radar. At the next meeting on Tuesday we will look at the dimensions of the issue (data harvesting) that need to be analysed and on what points action will have to be taken,” the official said.

Both Facebook and CA are at the center of a controversy over allegations of harvesting and use of personal data that was used to try and influence the outcome of the 2016 U.S. presidential election and the Brexit vote.

The election commission’s social media cell is also expected to draw up a report on the allegations that have snowballed into controversy with the ruling BJP on Thursday alleging that the Congress party’s campaign in the recent Gujarat assembly poll was managed by CA. Congress denied the charge, with party president Rahul gandhi terming the controversy an attempt to deflect attention from the death of the 39 Indian hostages in Iraq.

The poll panel, however refrained from commenting on the BJP’s accusations, pointing out that it “has taken cognisance of the law minister’s statement and media reports on the issue.”

In August CEC OP Rawat had told mediapersons that the poll panel is drafting a media policy that will allow it to monitor con-

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