Did CA launder Indian voters’ & users’ data?
In a tough stand aimed at protecting the personal data of millions of Facebook users, the government on Wednesday issued a notice to United States-based social media giant Facebook seeking details of whether the personal data of Indian voters and users has been compromised by British data firm Cambridge Analytica (CA) or any other entities. The government, in the notice, has also sought details on whether it the data has been used to manipulate the Indian electoral process.
Facebook has been given time till April 7, 2018, to respond to the letter by the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MEITY). According to a senior official, the Government has a mechanism in place to summon Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. “We have enough legal provisions to bring Zuckerberg in court. If FB would fail to comply with the our norms, the government may move ahead in banning the social media site as it’s been done in the countries like China, North Korea, etc,” the official added.
“Those who are doubting legal provisions of the country… they must not forget the case of the Samsung chairman being ordered to appear in a Ghaziabad trial court in relation to a $1.4-million payment case in 2014. The Government will not compromise with any kind of data breach,” the official stressed.
The Government had earlier issued a notice seeking details relating on data breach from Facebook to Cambridge Analytica last Friday. Through the notice, Facebook has been asked to whether “the personal data of Indian voters and users has been compromised by Cambridge Analytica or any other downstream entity in any manner, and if so, how was it compromised?” the official said.
The letter asked “whether FB or its related or downstream agencies utilising FB’S data have previously been engaged by any entities to manipulate the Indian electoral process? FB today has its largest footprint in India in terms of its user base and, therefore, what proactive measures are being taken to ensure the safety, security and privacy of such large user data and to prevent its misuse by any third party?” questioned the letter.