Cambridge Analytica Whistle-Blower Decries Facebook Non-Answers
(Bloomberg) -- Cambridge Analytica whistle-blower Christopher Wylie said Facebook Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg engaged in "a spectacle of non-answers" in testimony before U.S. and European lawmakers that would increase the chances the social network will face regulation and further harm the trust of its users.
Speaking at the Bloomberg Sooner Than You Think technology conference in Paris, Wylie expressed dismay that Zuckerberg has rebuffed invitations to appear before the U.K. parliament committee investigating Cambridge Analytica's misuse of Facebook user data, and the role the consulting firm may have played in Britain's 2016 EU referendum.
"Mark Zuckerberg continues to reject the invitation from the one committee that will actually ask tough questions and won't let him get away with ‘I'll get back to you, I'll get back to you, I'll get back to you,'" Wylie said.
The data scientist also said there was further information yet to come out about Cambridge Analytica and its interactions with Russian companies and individuals that may have played a role in trying to manipulate elections. Wylie said he had shared this information with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. House and Senate Intelligence committees.
Cambridge Analytica had tested several themes -- including key phrases and visual imagery -- that U.S. President Donald Trump used successfully in his election campaign long before Trump appeared to be a serious contender, Wylie added.
Steve Bannon, the former Trump adviser who helped set up Cambridge Analytica in 2014, had the company looking at "draining the swamp," which has become a stock Trump phrase for cleaning up the way Washington works, as well as anti-immigrant messaging as far back as 2014, Wylie said.
He also said he was certain that further regulation of Facebook and other large tech companies was now almost certain in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, and that he had discussed the issue with U.S. lawmakers.
To contact the reporters on this story: Nate Lanxon in London at nlanxon@bloomberg.net;Jeremy Kahn in London at jkahn21@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Giles Turner at gturner35@bloomberg.net, Nate Lanxon, Alistair Barr
©2018 Bloomberg L.P.
-
Getting To Work Costs Women More | The Reason Why
It is not just about women paying more than men. It is about women paying much more in cities than in villages.
-
AI Bias In Investing Cannot Be Eliminated, But It Can Be Governed
Framing is a particularly important example as identical financial information presented in terms of gains rather than losses can lead an LLM to reach a different assessment.
-
Joining The Dots | Dark Skies, Steady Diya: Why Hope Holds This Diwali
With war, a weak rupee and foreign outflows weighing on sentiment, policymakers at the NDTV World Summit and market veterans at NDTV Profit Ignite: Diwali Edition offered the same advice: stay invested and filter out the noise.
-
The Curious Case of Equitas Small Finance Bank And A CEO Who Quit For Stock
PN Vasudevan believes persistent investor concerns over a perceived conflict of interest had become a governance overhang on Equitas Small Finance Bank's stock, even as the lender improved profitability and asset quality.
-
Talking Points This Week: AI Cash Burn, A Tiger Comeback And An India That Still Finds Its Own Path
India is not immune to higher oil or tighter global liquidity, yet its earnings base is broader, its domestic policy levers are still available.
-
Foreign Investors Own Half Of HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank. An LTCG Cut Could Matter Most Here
Foreign portfolio investors have US$115 billion parked in HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank. If the government cuts long-term capital gains tax, Jefferies says returning foreign money could land here first.
-
'Never Seen This Level Of Negativity': Sandeep Tandon Says The Next Rally May Be Closer Than You Think
Veteran investor Sandeep Tandon says foreign selling is easing, large-caps are due a comeback and mid-caps are crowded, while he turns positive on gold, power and pharma this Diwali.
-
Indians Stay With Family, Not In Hotels | The Reason Why
India still lacks enough clean, reliable and affordable hotels for budget-conscious travellers.
-
The Economic Imperative: Analysing The Material Driving Force Behind India-Canada Strategic Reset
This economic complementarity is further reinforced by deep institutional investment ties and talent mobility, which form the bedrock of the bilateral framework.
-
Medicine Pricing: Where Must Profit Stop?
India must confront excessive margins, hidden incentives and regulatory gaps that threaten the integrity of medicine.
