Bankruptcy ‘won’t stop data inquiry’
THE investigation into Cambridge Analytica and the firm’s harvesting of data will continue despite the political analysis firm declaring bankruptcy.
The company, which worked on the Brexit campaign, sustained severe criticism over its gathering of data from millions of Facebook profiles to target users with personalised adverts.
It announced it would be shutting down on Wednesday, claiming the coverage of the scandal has driven away customers and made the business unviable. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said its investigations will continue to ‘seek to pursue individuals and directors as appropriate.’
While Damian Collins, chair of the Commons select committee for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), tweeted: “Cambridge Analytica and SCL Group cannot be allowed to delete their data history by closing. The investigations into their work are vital.”
The closure of the company comes in the wake of rising legal costs in the Facebook investigation and the loss of clients following revelations about the firm in March. An ICO spokeswoman said: “We will be examining closely the details of the announcements of the winding down of Cambridge Analytica and the status of its parent company. The ICO will continue its civil and criminal investigations and will seek to pursue individuals and directors as appropriate and necessary even where companies may no longer be operating.”