Cambridge Analytica was a British political consulting firm that came under scrutiny for its role in obtaining and using personal data from Facebook users without their consent. 1)
The scandal was exposed in March 2018 by The Guardian and The New York Times, which revealed that Cambridge Analytica had harvested the personal data of millions of Facebook users. 2)
The data was collected through a personality quiz app called “This Is Your Digital Life,” developed by Aleksandr Kogan, a Cambridge University academic, and his company Global Science Research (GSR). 3)
The app not only collected data from individuals who took the quiz but also accessed information from their Facebook friends, resulting in the unauthorized harvesting of data from approximately 87 million users. 4)
Cambridge Analytica allegedly used the harvested data to build psychological profiles of individuals and influence voter behavior during political campaigns, including the 2016 United States presidential election and the Brexit referendum. 5)
The firm reportedly used targeted advertising and personalized political messages based on psychological profiles to sway public opinion. 6)
Cambridge Analytica had ties to various political campaigns and organizations, including its work for the Trump campaign in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. 7)
The scandal raised concerns about data privacy and led to widespread criticism of Facebook for its lax data protection policies and failure to prevent unauthorized data access. 8)
Facebook faced intense scrutiny and backlash for its role in the scandal, as it was accused of not adequately protecting its users' data and not taking sufficient action when the issue was initially discovered. 9)
The revelations prompted investigations by government authorities in multiple countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. 10)
In March 2018, Cambridge Analytica and its parent company, SCL Elections, filed for insolvency and ceased operations. 11)
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before the U.S. Congress and the European Parliament to address concerns and answer questions related to the scandal. 12)
As a result of the scandal, Facebook implemented various changes to its data policies and took steps to enhance user privacy controls. 13)
The Cambridge Analytica scandal sparked a global conversation about data privacy, data protection laws, and the ethical implications of using personal data for political purposes. 14)
The incident also highlighted the potential influence of targeted advertising and micro-targeting techniques in shaping public opinion and electoral outcomes, leading to increased calls for transparency and regulation in the digital advertising industry. 15)