How Facebook became weaponised
Cambridge University
2013: Psychology reseachers publish a study of more than
58,000 volunteer US adults, in which an online survey app reveals personality traits based on Facebook “likes”.
Each Facebook user has about 340 friends.
The app collects data on Facebook users’ friends, such as their “likes”. From this data the study is able to identify political party allegiance,
either Democrat or Republican voters in 85% of cases.
Strategic Communication Laboratories
Dec 2013: Strategic Communication Laboratories launches Cambridge Analytica,
backed by US$10m from Republican donor Robert Mercer. 2014-16: Donald Trump’s strategist at the time, Steve Bannon, is Cambridge Analytica’s vice-president
Global Science Research
May 2014: Cambridge psychologist Aleksandr Kogan founds Global Science Research, which works with Strategic Communication Laboratories and Cambridge Analytica. It harvests so-called psychometric profiles of 50 million US Facebook accounts.
Cambridge Analytica
Feb 2016: Cambridge Analytica Ceo Alexander Nix works with Republican Party candidate Ted Cruz’s campaign in the presidential primaries. Kogan’s psychometric profiles are used to create highly personalised Facebook ads.
Cruz wins Iowa caucuses.
Trump campaign
Jun-Nov 2016: Trump campaign hires Cambridge Analytica. Team uses dark posts – ads which target undecided Democrats’ Facebook accounts to suppress their votes.
For example, ads aimed at AfricanAmericans would misquote Hillary Clinton by having her refer to black men as predators.