GOVT Asks Face Book To Clarify Alleged Data Leak

AS  the BJP  and  Congress   are engaged  in a war of words   charging  each  other with utilising  services  of  controversial   data  firm  Cambridge Analytica  for promoting  electoral prospects , The Government  of India has sought  information on data leak from California  headquartered Facebook. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology headed by Ravi Shankar Prasad, a lawyer turned politician, has asked Face Book, one of the popular social media platform among Indians, to provide the detail by April 7.This is stated to be second notification sent to FB after a whistle blower has gone public alleging that India’s oldest political party Congress headed by youthful Rahul Gandhi had roped in the CA during Gujarat assembly elections. Facebook has been asked about  certain specific information including whether personal data related to Indian voters and users of the Face Book has been unauthorizedly used   by the data firm, and if entity engaged by FB had manipulated the Indian electoral process. Meanwhile, a data firm based in the neighbourhood of Delhi linked with CA ,is under scanner of the law enforcement agencies. Former employee of the Cambridge Analytica Christopher Wylie,who  has turned the whistleblower , has  publicly  unfolded  illegal activities  of his ex-employer.Wylie told British Parliament on Wednesday that CA had worked extensively in India and that he “believe” Congress was a client at the regional level. Christopher Wylie had earlier stunned the world after he alleged that information from more than 50 million Facebook users were unauthorizedly used by the data analytics firm for commercial purpose. He added that CA has offices and employees in India and offered to hand over relevant “documentation” on the same. Wylie 28, who is a data analytics expert and formerly an employee at Cambridge Analytica, also told British Parliamentarians that the political consultancy firm used personal information harvested from more than 50 million Facebook users to influence elections. He further alleged the harvested data was sold to CA which then used it to psychologically profile people and deliver material in favour of Donald Trump during the 2016 US presidential elections. The data was also used to help other politicians and the Brexit campaign. He was called for questioning on the controversial data firm which allegedly interfered in the 2016 Presidential elections in the United State of America and is facing trial. While the Congress is in denial, ruling BJP has sought apology from the Indian electorate and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Minister for Information & Broadcasting Smriti Irani are leading charge for the BJP against the Congress asking it to come clean. Ravi Shankar Prasad said after Christopher Wylie has confirmed that Cambridge Analytica worked with Congress exposing Rahul Gandhi who was in denial. Congress and Rahul Gandhi must now apologize; the IT Minister said .Congress had earlier said the Minister was acting for BJP like Joseph Goebbels who was Propaganda Minister for Adolf Hitler.(pic  courtesy to Wikipedia)